Sport is well represented in New Year’s Honours list

• Posted on Jan 04, 2017

Mark England and Penny Briscoe – the two individuals who oversaw Team GB and ParalympicsGB’s success at the Rio 2016 Olympics – have been recognised in the New Year’s Honours list.

England and Briscoe, who were respectively the chef de mission for Team GB and ParalympicsGB, were awarded OBEs as personalities from the world of sport racked up 119 honours.

Both Tim Reddish (chair) and Tim Hollingsworth (chief executive) of the British Paralympic Association received awards, with the former becoming a CBE. Hollingsworth was awarded an OBE.

Elsewhere, Sir Roger Bannister – the man who ran the first four-minute mile – became a Companion of Honour.

To cap an exceptional year, in which he won Wimbledon and became world number one, Andy Murray was knighted, as were Mo Farah and Lee Pearson. Jessica Ennis-Hill and Katherine Grainger became dames.

Several of the athletes who helped Team GB and ParalympicsGB reach 67 and 147 medals in Rio respectively made up a significant chunk of the list.

Laura and Jason Kenny (both CBE), Karen Darke, Adam Peaty and Max Whitlock (all MBE) were among those honoured.

“I am delighted to see our sporting leaders, support staff and coaches honoured alongside our athletes to acknowledge their commitment to excellence in everything they did to support the delivery of medal success in Rio,” said UK Sport chief executive Liz Nicholl.

Source: Leisure Opportunities