Swimming Tasmania said even before the teenager’s world record and two gold medals at this week’s short-course world championships in China, she was demonstrating a capacity to inspire fellow Tasmanians in the pool.

“She is very inspirational,” said Swimming Tasmania president Susan Cure.

“You only have to look at the number of followers on our Facebook page when we put up a post regarding Ariarne’s achievements to see that she has a big following amongst the Tasmanian swimming community.

“We currently have several really good young swimmers and Ariarne’s successes, particularly at such a young age, certainly shows them what is achievable through hard work and determination.”

The 18-year-old former Riverside and Launceston Aquatic freestyler has rewritten the Tasmanian swimming record books since relocating to Brisbane three years ago.

Having won three gold medals and one silver at the Commonwealth Games in April, Titmus this week became the first Tasmanian-born swimmer to break a world record in the pool.

However, she is not the first to win a world title.

At the same short-course championships in Rio de Janeiro in 1995, Hobart’s Scott Goodman won the 200-metre butterfly in an event and Australian record time of 1:54.79.

Goodman (1996), current Launceston Aquatic coach Peter Tonkin (1964), John Hayes (1956), Audrey Youl and Brett Stocks (both 1984) all swam at Olympic Games with Goodman and Tonkin both winning bronze medals while Melissa Carlton dominated at Paralympic Games in 1996 and 2000.

Having won the 200 and 400m double at Hangzhou, Titmus again led the way in the 4x200m freestyle relay, clocking the fastest split of 1:52.22 as Australia claimed a bronze medal.