LONDON, Dec 31: An exceptional sporting year during which Britons regularly confounded the odds has been rewarded appropriately in Queen Elizabeth’s New Year’s Honours List.

Recognising his vital contribution in bringing the 2012 Olympics to London, bid chairman Sebastian Coe had been made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE).

Coe, the only man to win the Olympic 1,500 metres title twice, was credited with transforming the International Olympic Committee’s perception of the London bid after Paris had been the clear favourites.

The former Conservative Party Member of Parliament, who was already a Lord, will now be known as Lord Coe MBE.

Bid chief executive Keith Mills and former British Olympic Association chairman Craig Reedie also received knighthoods.

“Every member of the London 2012 team played a crucial role in taking the bid across the line in July,” Coe told the BBC.

“I am delighted that our efforts have been rewarded in this way.”

England’s cricketers, who regained the Ashes from Australia after 16 fruitless years, were each made a Member of the British Empire (MBE) with the exception of captain Michael Vaughan who becomes an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) along with Zimbabwe-born coach Duncan Fletcher.

“It was a great team effort and I’m really pleased all the players have been honoured,” Vaughan told the BBC.

Clare Connor, captain of the England women’s team who defeated Australia, was also recognised with an OBE as was Mike Ruddock, who coached the Wales rugby union side to their first grand slam since 1978.

The most satisfying honour for those dedicated to fighting racism in sport was the OBE which has gone to former West Ham striker Clyde Best.

Best, 54, emigrated from Bermuda as a teenager to a London far removed from the city which used its multi-racial image to such effect in the Olympic bid campaign.

He endured racial chants, hate mail and mindless bigotry to make more than 200 appearances for the east London club and clear the way for the black footballers who grace the Premier League in the 21st century.—Reuters