New Year’s Honours for Welsh Sport

Paul Dancey on 03/01/2012

Peter Thomas, chairman of Cardiff Blues rugby team, has been honoured with a CBE for services to entrepreneurship, sport and charity in Wales, and Joyce Cook from Flintshire, the Chair of the National Association of Disabled Supporters, has been awarded a CBE for services to disability sports.

Whilst Neil Robinson from Bridgend, the former Paralympic Gold medallist and current coach of Team GB's hopefuls, received an MBE for his services to the sport.

Robinson MBE has been present at every Paralympic Games since 1984. He competed in Class 3 events from Paralympic Games stretching from Seoul (1988), Barcelona ('92), Atlanta ('96), Sydney (2000), Athens ('04) and Beijing ('08).

It was in Barcelona that Robinson achieved his greatest success with a gold medal in the Men’s Team Class 3 event alongside his team-mate James Rawson.

That was one of seven medals he has won at the Paralympics to go alongside his three medals from the World Championships and 12 medals from the European Championships, which included three more golds.

Robinson said of his award: "It makes me feel immensely proud. When we received the news I really got a good warm glow, a real sense of pride that I'd been recognised for something that I have been involved in for so many years."

Hilary Humphreys a part time PE teacher from llanrwst was awarded an MBE for Services to Education and Sport in North Wales. Mrs Humphreys, who has three children, five grandchildren and three great grandchildren teaches badminton and hockey at Eirias High School in Colwyn Bay and in after-school clubs. She said: "Sport is very important. You can be bogged down with academic work... some hockey or football and it clears the mind."

Wales international and Cardiff Blues flanker Martyn Williams, from Llantrisant, was awarded an MBE for services to rugby, and World Transplant Games swimmer Rowena Thomas Breese, of Old Colwyn, was made an MBE for services to disabled swimming and charitable fund-raising.

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