New Year Honours for sporting greats

Wednesday, 04 January 2012 13:37

Written by Editor

Golfers Darren Clarke and Rory McIlroy have received awards for their 2011 success in the New Year Honours list.Open winner Clarke becomes an OBE while fellow Northern Irishman McIlroy is appointed an MBE for his US Open win. Clarke and McIlroy were both nominated for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, with Clarke coming second to cyclist Mark Cavendish. Taekwondo world champion Sarah Stevenson and rugby union players Chris Paterson of Scotland and Wales' Martyn Williams all become MBEs. Stevenson, 28, won gold at the Taekwondo World Championships in Korea in May, just months after taking a break from the sport to care for her parents, who were diagnosed with terminal conditions in January. Her father Roy and mother Diana lost their battles with cancer before the end of the year, but Stevenson was honoured for her inspirational achievements by being named the Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year.

"It is such a huge honour to receive an MBE and it's fantastic to be recognised for the hard work I have put into taekwondo for the past 21 years," she said. "I know my parents would have been so proud of this award."

Ex-Aston Villa chairman Doug Ellis is made a knight, while former cricket umpire Dickie Bird is appointed an OBE. Former Formula 1 champion Nigel Mansell also becomes a CBE for services to young people as President of UK Youth, and veteran BBC broadcaster Stuart Hall receives an OBE, while England rugby league captain and Grand Final-winning Leeds Rhinos prop forward Jamie Peacock becomes an MBE.

Racing car designer Adrian Newey, chief technical officer at the world champion Red Bull Formula 1 team, whose previous designs include the Williams car in which Mansell won the world title, is made OBE.