Don't call me Sir Brad! Knighthood caps stunning year for Wiggins …but Le Tour and Olympic hero stays cool as ever over honour
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UPDATED:
09:26 GMT, 29 December 2012
Bradley Wiggins has been rewarded with a knighthood after winning the Tour de France and Olympic gold – but immediately warned: 'Don't call me Sir Brad!'.
Wiggins followed his historic win in France, the first by a British cyclist, by winning a fourth gold medal and first on the road while Ben Ainslie was also knighted after becoming the most successful Olympic sailor of all time with his fourth successive gold.
Scroll down for videos and a full list of Olympic Honours
Champagne moments: Bradley Wiggins won the Tour de France (left) and then Olympic gold in London
Wiggins said: 'It's not something I'll use on a daily basis but it's nice to have in the trophy cabinet as the ultimate accolade as a sportsman, being knighted by your country for not only the success this year but 12 years now of consistent work and performing – four Olympic Games, seven medals.
VIDEO Sir Bradley not entirely comfortable being called that yet
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'It's quite something really. I never ever 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.'
Ainslie announced his Olympic retirement last month and will now concentrate on the America's Cup, which Britain has never won.
The 35-year-old said: 'This is an incredible honour. When I set out Olympic sailing 20 years ago, I never would have dreamt this would happen.
Unstoppable: Ben Ainslie won his fourth successive gold medal at the London Olympics
'I couldn't have achieved this honour without the support of all the people who have helped me throughout my career and so I hope they can also take some pride in this moment.'
All the 2012 gold medallists end the year with an honour, although seven athletes who had previously received honours, including Sir Chris Hoy, were not recognised further this time.
Along with Ainslie and Wiggins, inspirational British Cycling performance director Dave Brailsford is also knighted after he once again masterminded a stunning medal haul as well as leading Team Sky to a one-two in the Tour de France.
Brailsford is renowned as a team player and admitted to being not entirely comfortable with an individual honour such as this.
High praise: David Brailsford will also receive a knighthood for guiding the cycling team to stunning success
He said: 'I can totally understand it with Chris (Hoy) when he won his three gold medals, or with Brad, because to have done what he has done is pretty amazing.
'But I guess it does feel a little bit uncomfortable given the hard work that everyone puts in that there is an individual recognition rather than a group recognition. That is a bit of a challenge – but it is a great honour nevertheless.'
VIDEO Sir Dave Brailsford: 'It's going to take getting used to'
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A fourth knighthood goes to David Tanner, the performance director for British Rowing, who also oversaw a record medal haul as Britain's rowers won four golds and nine medals in all.
Four Olympic stars are made CBEs, including the king and queen of British athletics, Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis, after they lit up the Olympic Stadium.
London was the swansong for cyclist Victoria Pendleton, who added a second Olympic gold and is made a CBE after playing a trailblazing role for women sprinters on the track.
Poster girls: Jessica Ennis (above) delivered gold in the heptathlon while Victoria Pendleton also triumphed
Rower Katherine Grainger receives the same honour in the year she finally made it gold with Anna Watkins in the double sculls following three successive silvers.
The Scot said: 'I am surprised and delighted to receive this new accolade, which, for me, brings 2012 to such a wonderful conclusion.
'In the last few months it has been become wonderfully apparent just how much our Olympic achievements have meant to everyone up and down the country.
'I fully appreciate this new accolade and I'd be thrilled if it helps with the efforts of everyone on Team GB to produce a meaningful legacy.'
Looking good: Rower Katherine Grainger will receive a CBE after winning gold with Anna Watkins
Three of Britain's double gold medallists have been awarded OBEs – dressage star Charlotte Dujardin and cycling couple Jason Kenny and Laura Trott – along with tennis' Andy Murray, who was both a gold medallist and a grand slam winner in 2012.
Murray revealed after his triumph that his friends had been teasing him about the possibility of a knighthood – something he definitely was not expecting.
The world No 3 said: 'A lot of my friends have been messaging me about it and I don't really know what to say. I think it should take more than one or two good tournaments to deserve something like that. It would probably be a bit rash.'
Apart from Hoy, rowers Pete Reed, Tom James and Andrew Triggs Hodge, cyclists Ed Clancy and Geraint Thomas and show jumper Nick Skelton, all other gold medallists receive MBEs.
Among them is long jumper Greg Rutherford, who joined Ennis and Farah in winning gold in an unforgettable Super Saturday night in the Olympic Stadium.
Super Saturday: Mo Farah (above) and Greg Rutherford (below) won gold medals on an unforgettable night
He said: 'I am delighted and feel very proud to be receiving this great honour. This has been an incredible year for me and winning a gold medal at a home Games was a dream come true.'
Also honoured with MBEs are 51-year-old three-day eventer Mary King, who won team silver in London, and gymnast Louis Smith, now a three-time Olympic medallist.
'This year has been like no other for so many reasons,' said the 23-year-old, who this month added the Strictly Come Dancing title to his Olympic gongs.
'For me it's obviously one I'll never forget and I wasn't sure it could get any better but to be awarded an MBE is the icing on the cake and without a doubt the proudest moment of my life.'
Dancing king: Louis Smith won silver at the Olympics before appearing on Strictly Come Dancing
Boxer Nicola Adams – the first woman to win a boxing gold medal in the history of the Olympics – was also awarded an MBE.
'It is really good to receive such a prestigious honour,' said Adams, 30, from Leeds.
'Everything is all a bit surreal for me.
'It has been an incredible year. To have achieved so much in that time – it is really hard to put it into words how amazing this year has been.
'I have won an Olympic gold medal and have met the Queen.'
Pioneer: Nicola Adams (right) was the first woman to win a boxing gold medal
Two-time London 2012 Olympic champion Jason Kenny meanwhile received word of his OBE while in Australia training for further glory.
The 24-year-old from Bolton won sprint and team sprint gold at the Olympic Velodrome in August as Britain's cyclists won seven out of 10 titles on the track.
Kenny, who received an MBE after winning his first Olympic title in Beijing in 2008, was at a training camp in Perth, Western Australia when his mother opened an official letter from the Palace detailing his New Year Honour while he was on the other end of the phone.
'My mum opened a letter for me whilst I was in Perth,' he said.
'It's something really special that you don't ever plan for. It's something you can share with the family and something really nice when it comes along.
Team work: Jason Kenny (left) won double gold at the velodrome
'It's a great honour and it's not every day you get to go to Buckingham Palace, so to get that invite is really special.'
A number of coaches also receive MBEs – Malcolm Brown for triathlon, shooting's Ian Coley, equestrian performance director Will Connell, Paul Hall for gymnastics, David Howlett for sailing, boxing's Rob McCracken and Paul Thompson and Robin Williams for rowing.
The men and women who brought the Games to London and made it happen feature heavily in the honours, too, led by organising committee chair Lord Coe, who is made a Companion of Honour.
He described the list as 'a wonderful end to this unique Olympic and Paralympic Year'.
He said: 'It recognises the achievements of our sportsmen and women who inspired the nation.
Recognised: Lord Sebastian Coe was honoured after bringing the Games to London
'This year's list also recognises those behind the scenes at LOCOG for outstanding leadership and delivery of the world's largest sporting events.
'I am incredibly proud of them all and our partners who made Britain proud this summer.'
Coe's deputy, Sir Keith Mills, is made a Knight Grand Cross while LOCOG chief executive Lord Deighton becomes a Knight Commander.
Other figures to receive honours include LOCOG's director of sport Debbie Jevans and London 2012 director Neale Coleman, who are both made CBEs, while communications chief Jackie Brock-Doyle becomes an OBE.
OLYMPIC ATHLETES HONOURED
Knighthood
Ben Ainslie – sailing
Bradley Wiggins – cycling
CBE
Katherine Grainger – rowing
Jessica Ennis – athletics
Mo Farah – athletics
Victoria Pendleton – cycling
OBE
Charlotte Dujardin – equestrian
Jason Kenny – cycling
Andy Murray – tennis
Laura Trott – cycling
MBE
Nicola Adams – boxing
Tim Baillie – canoeing
Laura Bechtolsheimer – equestrian
Scott Brash – equestrian
Alistair Brownlee – triathlon
Steven Burke – cycling
Luke Campbell – boxing
Peter Charles – equestrian
Katherine Copeland – rowing
Helen Glover – rowing
Alex Gregory – rowing
Carl Hester – equestrian
Philip Hindes – cycling
Sophie Hosking – rowing
Jade Jones – taekwondo
Anthony Joshua – boxing
Peter Kennaugh – cycling
Dani King – cycling
Mary King – equestrian
Ben Maher – equestrian
Ed McKeever – canoeing
Joanna Rowsell – cycling
Greg Rutherford – athletics
Louis Smith – gymnastics
Heather Stanning – rowing
Etienne Stott – canoeing
Anna Watkins – rowing
Peter Wilson – shooting
