They are three young men with much more in common than just three-syllable surnames.

They are all immensely talented sportsmen with buckets of potential who can justifiably call themselves world-beaters, Birtwhistle having just conquered the planet’s best under-23 triathletes, Robinson track cycling’s junior team pursuit and Ockenden more global competitions than you could shake a hockey stick at including two World Cups and seven Champions Trophies.

But there is even more to the comparison than that.

All three are driven to achieve their goals, proud of what they have accomplished and, above all, humble about how good they are at their chosen vocations.

Previewing the Australian Hockey League that his Tigers team won last year, Ockenden told a poignant story about retired Test batsman Justin Langer coming to talk to the Kookaburras and leaving them with the message that to be comfortable is dangerous.

It is a mantra perfectly suited to the national hockey set-up where any player caught resting on their Olympic laurels will be unlikely to get any more.

Ockenden may have been adjudged best young player in the world in 2008 and subsequently cemented that potential with a couple of nominations for the senior equivalent, but he sings from the hymnbook of Langer’s long-time teammate Ricky Ponting that even the best can strive to get better.

A year ago, Birtwhistle was guest speaker at The Examiner’s junior sports awards. 

He spoke at length about finishing second in the junior world championships and how he would love to go one better when stepping up a division to under-23.

Earlier this month in Chicago, he did exactly that.

Reflecting on the achievement, he said: ‘‘It only really hit me for the first time when I was alone in my hotel room thinking about it.

‘‘That was when I realised how special it was and that I had achieved what I had been working towards for 12 months. It was an awesome feeling.’’

Robinson took the same pride in his global gold but was just as pleased to be joining Tasmania’s exclusive club of junior world cycling champions which includes Matthew Goss, Mark Jamieson, Amy Cure, Georgia Baker, Lauren Perry and Macey Stewart. Egos are not hard to find in sport – the Big Bash League is indeed just around the corner – but Ockenden, Birtwhistle and Robinson represent three world champions virtually devoid of arrogance.

Another thing they share in common is having been regularly interviewed in the past by yours truly – an unfortunate side effect of being successful Tasmanian sportsmen.

But a notably aspect of the most recent catch-up was how little they have changed, or rather been changed by their triumphs.

All three remained well-grounded individuals equally proud of their Tasmanian upbringing whether competing in Chicago, Illinois, the Kazakh capital Astana or Lucknow in the Indian state of Uttah Pradesh.

Results may be the benchmark of sporting talent, but characteristics are what makes true champions and Tasmania continues to produce them in abundance.