Austin Krahn, a member of the Mohawks of Akwesasne, has been honoured with a 2026 Tom Longboat Award, one of Canada's longest-standing recognitions of Indigenous athletic achievement.
The 19-year-old golfer was named British Columbia's men's regional recipient and was among 22 athletes recognized at the National Indigenous Sports Gala in Ottawa on October 24. Established in 1951 and presented by the Aboriginal Sport Circle, the awards recognize athletic excellence alongside sportsmanship, leadership and contributions to community.
Krahn's nomination reflected several years of success at the provincial, national and international levels, with a particularly remarkable stretch in 2025. Already a multiple-time provincial champion and a member of Golf Canada's Team Canada – NextGen program, he won three BC Golf championships in three consecutive weeks. The stretch included a successful defence of his BC Junior Boys title, a BC Amateur victory secured with an eight-iron approach to three feet on the final hole, and his third consecutive BC Indigenous Championship. He became the first golfer to hold all three titles simultaneously.
Weeks later, Krahn added individual and team gold medals for British Columbia at the Canada Summer Games, where his final-round 65 set a Games record for the lowest single-round score by a male golfer.
Krahn's achievements have continued beyond the eligibility period for this year's awards, which closed at the end of May. In June, he claimed his fourth consecutive BC Indigenous Championship, closing with a course-record seven-under-par 64 at Campbell River Golf Club. He has now won all four editions of the championship since its introduction in 2023.
His performances on the international amateur stage have been equally noteworthy. At the Toyota Junior Golf World Cup in Japan, Krahn tied for third individually and helped Canada finish tied for second in the team competition. He also placed fourth at the Southwestern Amateur and 11th at the Pacific Coast Amateur, demonstrating his ability to compete among strong international fields.
That form has carried into his collegiate career at Liberty University, where he earned his first individual victory at the Bryan Bros Collegiate in September, just weeks into his freshman season. The performance also earned him Conference USA Men's Golfer of the Week honours.
Throughout his competitive career, Krahn has also spoken about the importance of family and his Indigenous heritage. Following his 2025 BC Indigenous Championship victory, he shared with BC Golf that he was competing to honour his maternal grandmother, whom he calls Nana.
"I was playing for her this week and through that to show my love for my heritage and for her," Krahn said.
British Columbia Golf supported Krahn's nomination for the Tom Longboat Award, with Chief Executive Officer Matthew Steinbach emphasizing his character and the respect he consistently shows fellow competitors, officials, volunteers and tournament staff. "Austin's accomplishments in competition are exceptional, but his character is equally deserving of recognition," said Steinbach. "He takes great pride in his Indigenous heritage and makes a point of recognizing the people who have helped him along the way. That humility and respect for others say a great deal about who he is."