Thursday, October 1, 2026
For Brendan Ryan, success has never been defined by limitations.
The 22-year-old martial artist from Garden City recently captured two gold medals and was named the 2026 AAU Para Athlete of the Year at the AAU National Taekwondo Championships in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, capping a seven-year journey built on determination, discipline and a simple family philosophy: "No Limits."
Ryan won national titles in the Senior Black Belt Para Traditional Forms and Senior Black Belt Para Creative Weapons divisions, earning recognition among the country's top para athletes during the July 2 competition. The AAU — Amateur Athletic Union — recognized him with the award not only for his competitive accomplishments but also for his character and commitment to the sport.
Ryan, who has Down syndrome, honed his championship form training at Champions Martial Arts Oceanside, under the guidance of Master Nadine Pace, owner and fourth-degree master instructor.
"It was an amazing week at nationals," Pace said. “It wasn’t just given because he was a para athlete. He truly, truly earned it.”
For Ryan, however, the week was about more than medals.
"It was nice to see other people with Down syndrome from around the country who love taekwondo like me," he said.
Although excited, Brendan admitted he felt nervous before stepping onto the mat.
"I wanted to practice my forms again," he said. "Ma'am (Pace) helped me calm down and told me I could do it."
His father, Tom Ryan, said Brendan’s accomplishments reflect a mindset their family embraced long before he stepped competitively onto a mat.
Brendan was diagnosed with Down syndrome before he was born. From the beginning, Tom and his wife, Christine, decided they would never allow that diagnosis to define their son's future.
"We said it wasn't going to affect us or our family, so there were going to be no limits put on him," Tom Ryan said. "He's going to write his own story. Nobody else should tell him what his story is going to be."
That philosophy has shaped Brendan's life. Over the years, he has played basketball, soccer and lacrosse, become an accomplished skier tackling black diamond trails, attended Camp ANCHOR and eagerly embraced new experiences.
He discovered taekwondo in 2019 after asking his parents if he could take classes. They contacted Pace, who had previously worked with Camp ANCHOR participants and immediately welcomed Brendan into her school.
"I said, 'Of course he could. Anybody could do it,'" Pace recalled. "Everyone learns at their own pace."
Pace's son, who also has special needs, had previously known Brendan's older brother through Camp ANCHOR's swim program, making the introduction feel like a small-world moment.
During the pandemic, when martial arts schools temporarily closed, Brendan transformed his family's living room into a training space, attending Zoom classes while practicing forms and techniques at home.
"He never faltered," Pace said "not for one second. There are kids who lose interest or take breaks, but Brendan has been consistent for seven years."
That dedication helped Brendan earn his black belt in June 2024. Since then, he has continued training in forms, breaking, weapons and bow staff while working toward his second-degree black belt. Pace recently invited him to join the school's Instructor Club, where he helps younger students during class.
"It makes me happy to be a role model," Brendan said. "I like helping younger kids and showing them what Ma'am taught me."
Pace said Brendan's impact extends well beyond competition.
"If you judged him by his disability, you would have counted him out from the beginning," she said. "You can't ever say that. There really are no limits for him."
Earlier this year, Brendan qualified for the national championships at the AAU Metro New York National Qualifier at Queens College before debuting his bow staff routine at the Champions Martial Arts Long Island Championships as a final tuneup before traveling to Florida.
For Pace, the award represented years of perseverance.
"I've always believed in his potential," she said. "Watching him win two gold medals and earn the AAU Para Athlete of the Year Award has been one of my proudest moments as a teacher."
This fall, Brendan will begin another exciting chapter as a student enrolled in Molloy University's Opportunity for Successful Transition, or MOST, program after graduating from Garden City High School in June. The inclusive three-year program helps students with intellectual and developmental disabilities prepare academically, socially and professionally for independent adult life.
Brendan already knows what comes next.
"I want to earn my second-degree black belt," he said. "I want to work with kids in a school and help teach them."
His father believes those goals reflect the same determination Brendan has shown throughout his life.
"This has never been about proving anyone wrong," Tom Ryan said. "It's about giving Brendan every opportunity to become who he wants to be."
The medals and national recognition may define Brendan Ryan's latest achievement, but those closest to him say they are only part of the story. His greatest accomplishment has been demonstrating that success is measured not only by championships, but by perseverance, kindness and the courage to embrace every opportunity.
And if Brendan Ryan has shown anything through his journey — from a young boy inspired by superheroes to a national champion — it is that the family motto has never been just a slogan.
For him, "No Limits" has become a way of life.
