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Tony McCoy awarded OBE

Tony McCoy raised the roof with victory on Don't Push It in the Grand National © Getty Images

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Tony McCoy has spoken of his pride after being awarded an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List.

The 15-time champion jockey has been peerless in National Hunt racing and fulfilled a lifelong ambition in April when winning the Grand National aboard Don't Push It.

His OBE comes seven years after he was given a MBE and it has filled the Ulsterman with pride to be recognised once again.

"It's a great honour for me and it means I'm improving I suppose," McCoy said. "To get a step up in anything means you're improving and that's always nice and at least I'm moving forward.

"Things like this are always nice, but it's a bit different from some of my other achievements. "My goal every year is to be champion jockey and if I work hard enough it's something I've got control over, whereas these sort of things are just nice accolades. It means that people from the outside world appreciate that you're doing well.

There were other sporting stars recognised by the Queen, including Bert Williams - an FA Cup winner with Wolves who was best remembered for being in goal as England lost to USA in the 1950 World Cup.

Amy Williams became Britain's first individual British Winter Olympic gold medallist since 1980 with her win in the skeleton bob and her efforts have been recognised with an MBE, as has former Wales footballer Gary Speed, while Andy Ripley - former England international rugby union player - has been given an OBE.

KNIGHTHOODS
Robert Murray - for services to football and education

COMMMANDERS OF THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE (CBE)
Rodney Carr - for services to sailing
Dr David Stuart English - for services to cricket and charity
George O'Grady - for services to sport
Hope Powell - for services to sport

OFFICERS OF THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE (OBE)
John Dunningham - for voluntary service to tennis
Zara Peters - for services to athletics
Tony McCoy - for services to horse racing
Andy Ripley - for services to sport, especially rugby
Jacqueline Robinson - for services to sport
Shane Sutton - for services to sport
Carol Walton - for services to disability sport
Ann Wild - for services to wheelchair basketball

MEMBERS OF THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE (MBE)
Reginald Adams - for services to sport
James Aitken - for services to student sport
Anthony Carr - for services to football
David Coulthard - for services to motor racing
Robin Courage - for services to disability sport
Dr Frank Duckworth - for services to Royal Statistical Society and cricket; and Dr Anthony Lewis - for services to mathematics and cricket
Maxine Edwards - for services to women's rugby
Michael Glogg - for voluntary service to rugby
Geoffrey Holt - for services to disability sailing
Mike Ingham - for services to sports broadcasting, chief football correspondent
Karen Jones - for services to women's and girls' football in Wales
Donna Kellogg - for services to badminton
Jennifer Kent - for voluntary service to gymnastics
John Lister - for services to athletics. Cardiff
John Lloyd - for services to cycling in mid and north Wales
William (Kyle) McCallan - for services to cricket in Northern Ireland
Margaret Penny - for services to hockey in Northern Ireland and to the British Parachute Association
Melvyn Perkins - for services to cycle speedway and to football
Tony Phillips - for services to youth sport in Northern Ireland
Steven Scott - for services to disability sport
Gary Speed - for services to football. Chester
Christine Wellington - for services to Ironman Triathlons
Amy Williams - for services to sport
Bert Williams - for services to football and charity

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