PEI’s Most Experienced Athlete, Tommy MacGuigan Prepares for Another Special Olympics Canada Games

Written by Callum Denault, Special Olympics Canada Employee and Athlete

Special Olympics is a place for people from all walks of life, including all backgrounds, ability levels, and ages. While many athletes have been involved for a significant amount of time, few can say they've spent decades competing at both the national and international level. But Tommy MacGuigan is a particularly impressive Special Olympics athlete, having competed at 19 previous Major Games, including Special Olympics Canada Games, World Games, or other National Events. 

More than that, Tommy is an advocate, pioneer, and role model for his fellow Islanders with disabilities. 

Tommy began his sports journey by participating in local disability sport organizations. He still remembers when Special Olympics PEI became an accredited chapter of Special Olympics Canada in 1987 and the difference that made in his community. 

Since 1996, Tommy has competed in every Special Olympics Canada Games, mostly in softball, and has also been to at least 6 Special Olympics Canada Winter Games competing in floor hockey. Expressing the equal amount of love he has for the two sports, Tommy said his favourite thing about softball is his teammates and coaches, followed by learning how to play the different positions. Most often, Tommy plays right outfielder, just behind the first baseman. 

Now well into middle age, Tommy shows no sign of stopping. The Special Olympics Canada Summer Games Medicine Hat 2026 will mark his 20th time competing at the national or international level. 

Despite having been to over 19 National or International Games, Tommy remembers each one fondly and vividly, even as far back as the one he went to in 1996. 

One of the biggest achievements of his athletic career was representing Canada in softball at the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Greece during 2011.

Tommy recalls the Host Town visit with Special Olympics Team Canada ahead of the Games. "to get used to the culture, the food, the music, stuff like that. I got to meet all these people from around the world."

Tommy said his team won bronze, after facing the host country's Team Greece.

In 2019, Special Olympics Canada presented Tommy with the Dr. Frank Hayden Athlete Lifetime Achievement Award, which is named in honour of Special Olympics' pioneer and founding figure.

Like all Special Olympics Canada award winners, Tommy was invited to the annual LIMITLESS Gala, and brought his wife, Jennifer, as a plus one. Tommy's wife is also a Special Olympics athlete, and the two both participate in Charlottetown's 5-Pin Bowling program. For Tommy, the connections he's made with his fellow athletes - getting close to them as people, not just teammates and competitors - that he highlighted as his proudest achievement in Special Olympics. 

Now retired, Tommy spent thirty years working as a telecommunications technician with Bell Aliant. He secured the placement through Tremploy, a PEI-based nonprofit that helps people with intellectual disabilities find meaningful employment. 

As far as sports go, Tommy has some words of wisdom for the younger athletes going to the upcoming Games in Medicine Hat, especially those who are also going to their first National-level competition.