Seven Tasmanian sporting champions have been announced as finalists for the 2025 Tasmanian Athlete of the Year award.
Cyclists in three different disciplines join stars of swimming, canoeing, eightball and multisport vying for the prestigious award which will be presented in December.
The finalists are: Dan Booker (MTB enduro), Kate Eckhardt (canoe/kayak), Nicole Frain (gravel enduro), Max Giuliani (swimming), Alex Hunt (multisport), Fiona Plummer (eightball) and Felicity Wilson-Haffenden (road cycling).
They are seeking to join an illustrious list of Tasmanian achievers including two-time winners Darren Balmforth, Matthew Wells, Amy Cure and Eddie Ockenden and the recently-retired Ariarne Titmus who has won four of the last five awards.
Booker had a superb season in the UCI Enduro World Cup, highlighted by victories in Italy and France and an overall fourth-place finish.
Following consistent performances in the ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup series in which she twice reached finals, Eckhardt capped off her season by becoming the first Australian woman to secure a medal in the K1 at world championships on home territory in Sydney.
Former national road race champion Frain cemented a successful transition to gravel enduro cycling by finishing the UCI Gravel World Series ranked no.1 with victories in Belgium and Italy.
A year after winning a freestyle relay bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, Giuliani added world championship gold and bronze in the 4x100m and 4x200m respectively in Singapore. This followed two silver medals at the Short-Course World Championships in Budapest.
After nearly 20 years in his sport and five previous podium finishes, Hunt achieved a lifelong goal by winning the World Multisport Championships which involved 243 kilometres of trail running, kayaking and cycling across New Zealand’s South Island.
Plummer’s extensive achievements in eightball reached a climax when she helped the Australian team clinch the world championship in Ireland, overcoming a highly-fancied France side 4-3 in the final.
Although still an under-23 rider, Wilson-Haffenden’s impressive individual time trial performances saw her selected for the elite mixed relay team time trial at world championships in Rwanda where she helped Australia defend its title.
Running since 1995, the Tasmanian Athlete of the Year award is based on performance at international level between 1 November 2024, and 31 October 2025, plus contribution to the athlete’s sport and the Tasmanian sporting community.
The winner will be announced at a function on Thursday, December 4.
The event will also celebrate Tasmanian Sporting Hall of Fame members and induct two Tasmanian sporting stars.