THE 45-year commitment of Launceston athletics stalwart Andrew Willis has been recognised by the sport’s state body.

At its annual meeting on Saturday, Athletics Tasmania decided to bestow life membership on Willis.

AT president Mike Gunson led the tributes to the founding and life member of Tamar Athletic Club.

‘‘He has made an outstanding contribution to the athletics community,’’ Gunson said.

‘‘He was Mr Tamar, taking over every role available there and drove that club.

‘‘His service has been exceptional over a very long period of time. He has always been there to look after the interests of athletes, officials and Athletics Tasmania in general.’’

Joining Newstead after Scottsdale Athletic Club went into recess, Willis helped found Tamar where he was secretary, delegate, coach, committee member and president and established the popular Across the Batman road race and the annual Quadrant run in Launceston.

He has been on the committee of the Northern Branch since 1975 and served as president, vice-president, track and field commissioner and technical officer, managing numerous track and field and cross-country events and helping organise the national schools knockout finals and national primary all-schools.

Willis has long served with the Northern Athletic Centre Board which was set up to control the St Leonards Athletic Centre, overseeing the surfacing of the all-weather track, the lighting for the venue, the pole vault bag and hammer cage.

Since the mid-70s Willis has been a Northern delegate to the Tasmanian Amateur Athletics Association, a state selector and in 1991-92 was president of Athletics Tasmania.

He served as a national technical official at the 1996 world juniors, 2000 Sydney Olympics, 2001 IAAF grand prix final and the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games as well as many national championships and tour meets. He received the Athletics Australia platinum service award in 2014.

Willis was also involved with the set-up of little athletics in Tasmania in 1974 and has coached many athletes to Australian representation including decathlete Michael Mol, national 1500m champion Mandy Westbrook (Giblin) and this month’s University Games representative Josh Harris.

An AT statement said: ‘‘For approximately 45 years now Andrew has had athletics in his blood and would do anything for anyone to make sure that the sport and its participants had the best conditions that could be afforded to them.’’

Willis will receive it later in the year.