BRITAIN’S golden couple Laura and Jason Kenny are the first husband and wife to get top gongs on the same list.
The cycling couple – who are both the most decorated British Olympians of all time and got together at London 2012 have been made a knight and dame, Jason won his ninth medal overall – and seventh gold – on the final day of the Tokyo Games while his wife Laura won two medals in Tokyo – and has six medals overall.
Team GB won 65 medals in all at the Tokyo Olympics, with heroes from both games receiving 78 gongs.
Diver Tom Daley, swimmer Adam Peaty and six-time Olympic medalling gymnast Max Whitlock are handed OBEs and are among the dozens of sports stars to pick gongs.
Tennis sensation Emma Raducanu, 19 get an MBE weeks after winning the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year, after becoming the first qualifier to win a grand slam title at the US Open in September.
The British number one said: “It makes me immensely proud and grateful to be listed to receive an MBE from Her Majesty the Queen.
“This year has been full of amazing surprises for me so to end 2021 with this appointment is very special.”
Paralympians Hannah Cockroft who won two golds in wheelchair racing and Kadeena Cox – who starred in this year’s I’m a Celeb after taking two cycling golds in Tokyo – both got OBEs.
Team GB’s Olympic boxing champion Lauren Price has said her late grandfather would have been the “proudest man in the valleys” after her inclusion in the New Year Honours list.
Price, who was brought up by her grandparents is to be made an MBE after winning gold in the women’s middleweight final.
Steve Holland, the assistant manager of the England men’s football team, has been awarded an MBE in recognition of helping the side to the final of Euro 2020, their first major final appearance in 55 years.
Chelsea Women manager Emma Hayes has been awarded an OBE after helping the Blues retain their Women’s Super League title in 2021 and reach the Champions League final.
Former footballer Gary Bennett’s work with the Show Racism The Red Card group has been recognised with an MBE, while former England football captain Bobby Moore’s widow Stephanie has been awarded an OBE for services to bowel cancer research funding.
