BERKSHIRE based Olympic heroes featured strongly on the New Year Honours list announced on Saturday.

Maidenhead resident Katherine Grainger, already the recipient of an MBE, has been made a CBE.

All of the sport's other London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic gold medallists have received MBE's - unless they received them after Beijing - including Wokingham resident Anna Watkins, ex-Ascot based Dave Smith and Pam Relph of the Leander club in Henley-on-Thames.

Grainger, also a three-times silver medal winner since 2000, said of her CBE: "This wonderful honour is a fantastic conclusion to the most incredible year for me. "We have all seen the positive influence that sport, volunteering and public support made this summer and I hope that influence will continue for a very long time to come. "For me personally it was a year that far exceeded all of my hopes and dreams and to be recognised in this way has made the year even more special, something I did not think possible".

Grainger and Watkins rowed to double scull gold at Eton, Dorney in August.

Relph and Smith won top honours in the mixed coxed four, alongside Naomi Riches, James Roe and cox Lily van den Broecke at the Paralympic Games later that month.

David Tanner received a knighthood for his services to rowing as Great Britain team performance director at London 2012, whilst chief coach for women and lightweights Paul Thompson, and coach Robin Williams have also awarded MBEs.

Tanner beamed: "I'm very proud to have been recognised in this way. "While this is an honour for me personally, I see it also as an honour and recognition for the sport of rowing. "Rowing is truly a team sport and our Olympic and Paralympic success in London has been down to our exceptional rowers and the front-line and backroom staff who give them such outstanding coaching and support." Maidenhead resident Sophie Christiansen, already the recipient of an MBE, was been made an OBE after her triple gold medal success at London 2012.

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