Enlarge imageBy Mitch Phillips
LONDON (Reuters) - Triple Beijing Olympic cycling gold medallist Chris Hoy was knighted on Wednesday as every Briton to strike gold in China was recognised in the Queen's New Year Honours List.
Hoy, who was awarded an MBE after winning his other gold in Athens four years ago, was also voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year earlier this month after becoming the first Briton to win three golds at one Games for 100 years.
"It is just an amazing honour, it's also great for the sport," Hoy said.
"It's about the years and years of hard work and not just about three gold medals in Beijing.
"It's everybody who has helped you on the way, they can take a bit of pride from what I've been awarded and family and friends are a big part of that."
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There was even more good news for the Hoy household when his mother Carol, a retired nurse, was given an MBE.
Hoy's double-gold team mate Bradley Wiggins was made a CBE, as was the coach of Britain's formidable cycling team, Dave Brailsford.
Sailor Ben Ainslie, who has won three golds and a silver over four Olympics, was also made a CBE, as was David Tanner, performance director of the successful British rowing squad.
The other sporting knighthood on the list was for Reading football club chairman John Madejski in recognition of his charity work.
Paralympic swimmer Eleanor Simmonds, 13 when she won two golds in Beijing, becomes the youngest recipient of an MBE while world motor racing champion Lewis Hamilton received the same honour.
(Editing by John O'Brien)
