Swimming star Titmus laps up third Tasmanian Athlete of the Year accolade

Adding the 2023 accolade to previous victories in 2019 and 2020-21, the Launceston-born swimming sensation emulated the feat of rowing world champion Simon Burgess who won the award in 1997, '99 and 2000.

Only four other athletes have been multiple winners - rower Darren Balmforth (1999 and 2000, both shared with Burgess), Olympic hockey champion Matthew Wells (2001 and '04) and cycling world champion Amy Cure (2009 and '15).

The announcement was made at an award ceremony in Hobart on Thursday as Titmus fought off stiff competition from Socceroos defender Nathaniel Atkinson, sailor Will Sargent, canoeist Kate Eckhardt and reigning Tasmanian Athlete of the Year, cyclist Georgia Baker.

Although unable to collect the award in person, the Queensland-based former Riverside and Launceston Aquatic member said she remained a proud Tasmanian.

The recognition followed Titmus receiving a key to the city of Launceston and having the aquatic centre's pool named in her honour after two Olympic titles in Tokyo in 2021.

The Tasmanian award followed a stunning performance at the world championships where the 23-year-old freestyler overcame the reigning world champion, Olympic champion and world record-holder to win the much-hyped 400-metre showdown.

Controlling the race in Fukuoka from start to finish, Titmus powered home to beat America's 21-time world champion Katie Ledecky by more than three seconds in a new world record of 3:55.38.

Titmus and her teammates added another gold and world record (7:37.50) in the 4x200m freestyle relay while she claimed silver (behind compatriot Mollie O'Callaghan) in the 200m and bronze in the 800m to leave Japan with four medals and two world records.

She also picked up two golds (400 and 800m) and one silver (200m) at the Australian Championships in April.

Riverside Olympic product Atkinson was the first Tasmanian selected to play at a FIFA World Cup, squaring up to French superstar Kylian Mbappe in Qatar, while Baker, of Perth, earned silver medals at the UCI World Track Championships, in the madison (with Alex Manly) and points race, and was also a late call-up for the World Road Championships.

Eckhardt teamed up with Noemie and Jess Fox to win a world championship gold medal in the women's kayak teams event and fellow Hobartian Sargent skippered Team Ares to win the SB20 title at the World Sailing Championships in The Netherlands.

A celebration of Tasmanian sporting achievement also saw basketballer Ian Davies and trampoline gymnast Jack Penny named as two new inductees to the state's sporting hall of fame.

Earlier in the day, the careers of Tour de France cyclist Richie Porte and world championship rower Georgia Nesbitt were also honoured with the recently-retired pair becoming members of the Tasmanian Institute of Sport's Champions Club.