Recognition for Britain’s sport heroes
GREAT Britain’s Olympic gold medal-winning women’s curling team have been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.
The team took top spot on the podium at the Beijing Games earlier this year and captain Eve Muirhead, pictured above,who was made an MBE in 2020, has now secured an OBE.
Her team-mates Jennifer Dodds, Hailey Duff, Vicky Wright and alternate Mili Smith all received MBEs.
The team’s head coach David Murdoch received the same honour, along with chef de mission Georgina Seccombe, while visually impaired para-skier Neil Simpson’s gold medal in Beijing earned him an MBE as well. His brother Andrew, who acts as his guide, received the same recognition.
Away from the Winter Olympics, Wales star Gareth Bale received an MBE for services to football and charity.
The 32-year-old, who is on the lookout for a new club this summer with his contract up at Real Madrid, is hoping to fire his country to a first World Cup finals appearance since 1958 at the weekend.
Another current player, Liverpool midfielder James Milner, also receives an MBE.
Former England and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand was awarded an OBE, also for services to football and charity.
The 43-year-old won 81 England caps and six Premier League titles, and helped United to Champions League success in 2008.
Mike Summerbee, a star of the Manchester City side of the 1960s and 70s, receives an OBE, as does former Watford and England striker Luther Blissett.
Blissett is a patron of the Sporting Memories Foundation
– a charity that tackles dementia, loneliness and depression through the power of sport.
England international Moeen Ali has been awarded an OBE for services to cricket. The 34-yearold retired from Test action last year but is still part of the limited-overs set-up and played at the 2021 T20 World Cup.
Neil and Lora Fachie, who each won para-cycling gold in Tokyo last summer, have now received OBEs after receiving MBEs in
2013 and 2017 respectively.
Lora Fachie’s pilot Corrine Hall has also now been awarded an OBE, while former Wigan loose forward Sean O’Loughlin receives the same honour for services to rugby league.