Double gold medallist Adlington awarded OBE

Posted: Wednesday 31st December 2008 | 1:46

REBECCA Adlington, who won two golds and became the first British woman swimmer to win an Olympic title in 48 years, has been awarded an OBE in the New Years Honours list.

HONOURED: Chris Hoy – now Sir Chris – with Rebecca Adlington OBE – two of the big names in the 2008 Queen’s New Years Honours list (Getty Images)

“I’m absolutely delighted to receive and accept the OBE – it is fantastic to be recognised in the New Year Honours List,” she said.

“There are so many amazing names on the list, it’s something I’ll treasure for the rest of my life.”

Sailor Ben Ainslie – who won a third Olympic gold in Beijing – is made a CBE, as is three-time Olympic champion cyclist Bradley Wiggins and multi-medal winning Paralympians Lee Pearson and David Roberts.

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There are also OBEs for gold medal winning sailors Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Iain Percy and rower Steve Williams – who have all now won two Olympic golds.

Paralympic cyclists Aileen McGlynn, Ellen Hunter, Darren Kenny and Sarah Storey and swimmer Sacha Kindred are all awarded OBE’s for following up on Athens success with more golds in Beijing.

First-time Olympic champions – and has become recent tradition – have all been awarded an MBE.

They are canoeist Tim Brabants, cyclists Ed Clancy, Nicole Cooke, Paul Manning, Victoria Pendleton, Jason Kenny, Rebecca Romero, Jamie Staff and Geraint Thomas, rowers Andy Triggs Hodge, Mark Hunter, Tom James, Zack Purchase and Peter Reed, athlete Christine Ohuruogu, sailors Paul Goodison, Andrew Simpson and Pippa Wilson and boxer James Degale.

“I was absolutely gobsmacked when I heard the news and I’m so proud to have received this honour,” said DeGale, who won middleweight gold in Beijing.

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“It was a dream come true to represent my country at the Olympics and to have won a gold medal, and this just caps a perfect year for me.”

Paralympians are also well represented on the MBE list – with cyclists Mark Bristow, Jody Cundy, Anthony Kappes, Simon Richardson, David Stone and Barney Storey, horse riders Sophie Christiansen and Anne Dunham, wheelchair athlete David Weir and swimmers Matthew Walker and Eleanor Simmonds all recognised.

“The last three months have been a whirlwind and, while feeling as though I am living in a fairy tale,” said Simmonds, who won two golds aged just 13.

The architects for the success of three of Britain’s top Olympic sports – cycling, rowing and sailing – have also been honoured for their achievements.

British Cycling performance director David Brailsford and Amateur Rowing Association elite team head David Tanner both receive CBEs while Stephen Park, of the Royal Yachting Association, is granted an OBE.

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Phillip Lane, chief executive of the British Paralympic Association, and Timothy Reddish, national performance director for British Disability Swimming, are awarded OBEs.

Terry Edwards – whose position as British Boxing’s head coach remains unclear despite guiding his team to one gold and two bronzes in Beijing – is awarded an MBE, as is Paralympic swimming coach David Pye.

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There are also awards for two British Olympic Association officials with Bernard Cotton, director of the Team GB holding camp in Macau, and quartermaster Major Stephen Farley both named as MBEs.

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All those honoured were praised by Lord Coe, the double Olympic champion and chairman of London 2012 organisers, Locog.

He said: “Many congratulations to all the Olympians, Paralympians and their coaches honoured in the New Year honours list.

“The awards are a reward for their hard work, dedication, and wonderful performances in Beijing this summer which inspired the nation and made us all truly proud to be British.”

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