WHEELCHAIR tennis star Gordon Reid told of his pride after being made an MBE by the Queen at an investiture ceremony in Edinburgh yesterday.
The Scot won the singles and doubles titles at Wimbledon last year as well as the singles at the Australian Open and the Paralympic singles gold medal. Reid, 25, from Helensburgh, who had also won the 2015 US Open and two French Open titles, wore a kilt for the ceremony at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
He said afterwards: “It feels great, it’s really a proud moment.”
Reid said it was great to share the day with his parents and tennis coach, “the three people that have helped me get here the most out of anyone”.
He described 2016 as an “amazing year” that “went by in a flash”, and said he is looking forward to defending his Wimbledon titles. “I’m feeling good, I’m looking forward to getting back on the grass,” he said. “It’s always a great feeling, playing at Wimbledon.”
Two other Scots Paralympic gold medallists also received MBEs, athlete Jo Butterfield, who won the F51 club throw, and cyclist Karen Darke, winner of the H1-3 time trial.
Butterfield is preparing to defend her title at the World Championships in London later this month, while Darke is in training to represent Scotland in the triathlon at next year’s Commonwealth Games in Australia.
It was not only stars of the sporting world who were honoured, however. Poet laureate Professor Carol Ann Duffy, who was made a Dame in the New Year Honours List in December 2014, received her award for services to poetry. Josh Littlejohn, co-founder of Social Bite, was made an MBE for services to social enterprise and entrepreneurship in Scotland.
Littlejohn said the Queen described the business concept of Social Bite as “marvellous” after he talked her though its work. He added: “I never expected anything like this. I never expected a lot of the crazy things that happened over the last five years to happen.”
Michael Cavanagh, who was chairman of Commonwealth Games Scotland, was made an OBE for services to sport and the Commonwealth Games movement, while Professor Susan Deacon, assistant principal of the University of Edinburgh, was made a CBE for services to business, education and public service.
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