VANCOUVER – BC Athletics has named UBC Thunderbirds race walker Ben Thorne (Kitimat, B.C.) as its Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year.
 
Thorne had an outstanding 2015, as he made Canadian track and field history by winning the bronze medal in the 20-kilometre race walk event at the 2015 IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China, becoming the first Canadian to ever win a race walk medal at the Worlds. His time of one hour 19 minutes and 57 seconds also set a Canadian record.
 
It was the highlight in a year full of honours. Thorne won the 5,000-metre race walk at the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Gulf Shores, Ala., in May. It was his second career NAIA title.
 
His accomplishments in sport and in the classroom were recognized in June, when the Applied Science student earned a place on the 2014-15 Capital One Academic All-America® College Division Track & Field/Cross Country Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
 
Then in July, Thorne represented Canada at the Summer Universiade, also known as the World University Games, in Gwangju, South Korea. He won silver for his country in the 20-km race walk.
 
UBC recruit Michael Aono (Delta, B.C.), who set a Canadian youth record in the 400 metres this year with a time of 46.79 seconds at the Harry Jerome International Track Classic in June, was named the Youth Male Athlete of the Year.
 
Former T-Bird Luc Bruchet of White Rock, B.C., was honoured as the BC Athletics Senior Male Cross Country Runner of the Year.