127 Olympians make it to New Year Honour’s list

Bradley Wiggins, together with Ben Ainslie are among the Olympians who made it to New Year Honour’s list.

11:03 30 December 2012

Following a great success on both the Olympics and Paralympics, 127 Olympians made it to New Year Honour’s list. This is the biggest number of awards given in the 122-year history of the list.

Among the athletes and coaches honoured include Britain’s first Tour de France champion, Bradley Wiggins who was also recently crowed as BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

He delightfully said: ‘It’s quite something really. I never imagined that I would ever become a knight, so it’s an incredible honour, but there’s a slight element of disbelief, and it will take a while to sink in. There was never any doubt whether I’d accept it or not, it was more a case that I never saw myself as a Sir, and I probably never will.’

Other athletes that were honoured are Sarah Storey who is to be made a dame, Ben Ainslie who will also be knighted, and Jessica Ennis who received CBE together with Mo Farah, Victoria Pendleton, and David Weir.

Ainslie said: ‘This is an incredible honour. When I set out Olympic sailing 20 years ago, I never would have dreamt this would happen.’