Jake Birtwhistle races to victory to be crowned Tasmania’s best

Triathlete Jake Birtwhistle has pulled off a minor shock by claiming his first TIS Tasmanian Athlete of the Year award.

Jake Birtwhistle in action at the ITU World Triathlon Series grand final on the Gold Coast. Picture: DELLY CARR

TRIATHLETE  Jake Birt­whistle has pulled off a minor shock by claiming his first TIS Tasmanian Athlete of the Year award.

Birtwhistle, 23, had an outstanding season but many pundits had Tasmania’s new golden girl of the pool, fellow Launcestonian Ariarne Titmus, claiming the coveted award.

Both won gold at this year’s Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, Birtwhistle in the mixed relay while also claiming an individual silver in the men’s triathlon.

Titmus, 18, became one of the rising stars of Australian swimming, with individual Commonwealth gold in the 400m and 800m freestyle and silver in the 200m freestyle, and added another gold in the 4x200m freestyle relay.

She continued her strong form at the Pan Pacific swimming championships, posting personal bests in the 400m and 800m freestyle events in finishing second to US legend Katie Ledecky, as well as adding gold in the 4x200m relay.

Where judges may have given Birtwhistle the nod might have come from his brilliant display in the ITU World Triathlon Series world championships. The championships, taking in seven events around the world, saw Birtwhistle finish in third place — just the second Australian to ever achieve a podium finish under this year-long championships.

Both will almost certainly lead Tasmania’s team for medals at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Sporting Hall Of Fame inductees Michael Roach and Donna MacFarlane. Picture: MATHEW FARRELL

It was a particularly strong field of worthy nominees for 2018, including previous winners Australian men’s hockey captain and 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Eddie Ockenden, two-time Gold Coast gold medallist cyclist Amy Pauwes (nee Cure) and last year’s joint Tasmanian athletes of the year, rower Sarah Hawe and bowler Rebecca Van Asch – who also won two Commonwealth Games golds this year.

Ockenden’s gold medal-winning teammate Jeremy Edwards was also a finalist.

The awards were announced by Premier Will Hodgman at Blundstone Arena on Wednesday night.

Richmond full-forward Michael Roach and steeplechase runner Donna MacFarlane were elevated into the Tasmanian Sporting Hall of Fame.