Acknowledgement for Tristan Thomas

The Tasmanian Athlete of the Year Award Event was held on November 30. This year’s winner was cyclist Georgia Baker. At this gathering Tristan Thomas became the 140th inductee into the Tasmanian Sporting Hall of Fame.

Tristan attended the College during a period when it dominated the Independent Schools’ athletics carnivals. (St Virgil’s won both carnivals in each of the four years that Tristan attended the College). Before attending St. Virgil’s, Tristan had never trained for athletics, and his initial objective, when deciding to give it a go, was to make a leg of the U/13 relay team  - winning the try-out remains one of the biggest shocks of his career. 

 Whilst at the College he was awarded the Outstanding Junior Athlete Trophy in 2000 and the following year he won the Old Virgilians Trophy for scoring the most points for the College in the Southern and State Carnival.  Perhaps his greatest St. Virgil’s moment came in year 11, as Tristan, who then attended Hutchins on an academic scholarship, defied the colours and jumped on the SVC war cry to celebrate with victorious Virgilians on the day.

Tristan was a Tasmania Institute of Sport Scholarship holder (2003-2016) and an Australian Instituter of Sport scholarship recipient (2005-14) and for much of his post school life he has resided in Canberra. 

Career Highlights

• Five time Australian 400m hurdle champion
• Bronze medal in 4 x 400m relay - World Championships, Berlin 2009 
• Finalist in 4 x 400m relay - World Championships, Moscow 2013
• Semi-Finalist in 400m Hurdles at Olympic Games - London 2012
• Captaining the Australian Team and then winning 2 gold medals in the 400m Hurdles and 4x400m at the 2009 World University Games in Belgrade
• 2009 Tasmanian Male Sportsperson of the Year, Australia University Sport Male Athlete of the Year and Athletics Australia Athlete of the Domestic Season

Pictured top: L-R Tristan Thomas, John Steffensen,Ben Offereins and Sean Wroe of Australia celebrate winning the bronze medal in the men's 4x400 Metres Relay Final during day nine of the 12th IAAF World Athletics Championships at the Olympic Stadium on August 23, 2009 in Berlin, Germany.