List of sporting knights and dames
Encyclopedia
This is a list of people who have been knighted for their contribution to sport.
Athletics
- Roger BannisterRoger BannisterSir Roger Gilbert Bannister, CBE is an English former athlete best known for running the first recorded mile in less than 4 minutes...
1975 (born 1929) - Murray HalbergMurray HalbergSir Murray Gordon Halberg, ONZ, MBE is a former New Zealand middle distance runner who won the gold medal in the 5000 metres event at the 1960 Olympics. He also won gold medals in the 3 miles events at the 1958 and 1962 Commonwealth Games...
(NZ) 1988 (born 1933) - Christopher ChatawayChristopher ChatawaySir Christopher John Chataway is a British former middle- and long-distance runner, television news broadcaster, and a Conservative politician...
1995 (born 1931) - Mary PetersMary Peters (athlete)Dame Mary Elizabeth Peters, DBE, DL is a former British athlete, competing mainly in the pentathlon and shot put.-Biography:Mary Peters was born in Halewood, Lancashire, but moved to Ballymena at age eleven...
2000 (born 1939) - Kelly HolmesKelly HolmesDame Kelly Holmes, DBE, MBE is a retired British middle distance athlete. She specialised in the 800 metres and 1500 metres events and won a gold medal for both distances at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens...
2005 (born 1970) - Tanni Grey-ThompsonTanni Grey-ThompsonCarys Davina "Tanni" Grey-Thompson, Baroness Grey-Thompson, DBE is a Welsh athlete and TV presenter.Grey-Thompson was born with spina bifida and uses a wheelchair. She is considered to be one of the most successful disabled athletes in the UK...
2005 (born 1969) - Sebastian Coe 2006New Year Honours 2006The New Year Honours 2006 for the Commonwealth realms were announced on 31 December 2005, to celebrate the year passed and mark the beginning of 2006....
(born 1956) (Note: Coe had already been made a Life Peer in 2000) - John Walker (NZ) 2009 (born 1952) KNZMNew Zealand Order of MeritThe New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
- Peter SnellPeter SnellSir Peter George Snell, KNZM, MBE is a former New Zealand athlete, now resident in Texas, United States. He had one of the shortest careers of world famous international sportsmen, yet achieved so much that he was voted New Zealand’s "Sports Champion of the Century"...
(NZ) 2009 (born 1938)
Cycling
- Chris HoyChris HoySir Christopher Andrew "Chris" Hoy, MBE is a Scottish track cyclist representing Great Britain and Scotland. He is a multiple world champion and Olympic Games gold medal winner...
2009New Year Honours 2009The New Year Honours 2009 principally for the United Kingdom as well as the Commonwealth Realms were announced on 31 December 2008, to celebrate the year passed and mark the beginning of 2009....
(born 1976)
- Note: Hubert OppermanHubert OppermanSir Hubert Ferdinand Opperman, OBE , referred to as Oppy by Australian and French crowds, was an Australian cyclist and politician, whose endurance cycling feats in the 1920s and 1930s earned him international acclaim....
(1904-1996) was perhaps best known for his cycling achievements, but his 1968 knighthood was in recognition of his service as Australian High Commissioner to MaltaMaltaMalta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
.
Golf
- Henry Cotton 1987 (1907-1987)
- Bob CharlesBob Charles (golfer)Sir Robert James Charles, ONZ, KNZM, CBE is a New Zealand professional golfer whose achievements over five decades rank him among the most successful left-handed golfers of all time, being the first lefty to win a golf major, winning more than 70 titles, and beating his age twice during a...
(NZ) 1999 (born 1936) KNZMNew Zealand Order of MeritThe New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five... - Nick FaldoNick FaldoSir Nicholas Alexander "Nick" Faldo, MBE is an English professional golfer on the European Tour who now mainly works as an on air golf analyst. Over his career, he has won six majors: three Open Championships and three Masters. He was ranked the World No...
2009 (born 1957)
Horse racing
- Gordon RichardsGordon RichardsSir Gordon Richards was an English jockey, and is often considered the world's greatest ever jockey. He remains the only jockey to have been knighted....
1953 (1904–1986) - Cecil Boyd-RochfortCecil Boyd-RochfortSir Cecil Charles Boyd-Rochfort CVO was a British thoroughbred racehorse trainer who was British flat racing Champion Trainer five times....
1968 (1887–1983) - Noel MurlessNoel MurlessSir Charles Francis Noel Murless began his career as a racehorse trainer in 1935 at Hambleton Lodge in Yorkshire before moving to Hambleton House after the war, at one time sharing premises with the equally legendary Ryan Price...
1977 (1910–1987) - Peter O'SullevanPeter O'SullevanSir Peter O'Sullevan is a retired horse racing commentator for the BBC from 1947 to 1997, and correspondent for the Press Association, Daily Express and Today.-Early life:...
1997 (born 1918) - Henry CecilHenry CecilSir Henry Richard Amherst Cecil is a successful English horse racing trainer who has had many winners in the Epsom Derby, 1,000 Guineas and 2,000 Guineas, Epsom Oaks and the St. Leger Stakes....
20112011 Birthday HonoursThe Birthday Honours 2011 for the Commonwealth Realms were announced on 7 June 2011 in New Zealand and 11 June 2011 in United Kingdom to celebrate the Queen's Birthday of 2011.-Privy Councillors:...
(born 1943)
Motor racing
- Henry SegraveHenry Segrave-External links:* * * * *...
1929 (1896-1930) - Malcolm CampbellMalcolm CampbellSir Malcolm Campbell was an English racing motorist and motoring journalist. He gained the world speed record on land and on water at various times during the 1920s and 1930s using vehicles called Blue Bird...
1931 (1885-1948) - Jack BrabhamJack BrabhamSir John Arthur "Jack" Brabham, AO, OBE is an Australian former racing driver who was Formula One champion in , and . He was a founder of the Brabham racing team and race car constructor that bore his name....
1979 (born 1926) - Frank Williams 1999 (born 1942)
- Stirling MossStirling MossSir Stirling Craufurd Moss, OBE FIE is a former racing driver from England...
2000 (born 1929) - Jackie StewartJackie StewartSir John Young Stewart, OBE , better known as Jackie Stewart, and nicknamed The Flying Scotsman, is a Scottish former racing driver and team owner. He competed in Formula One between 1965 and 1973, winning three World Drivers' Championships. He also competed in Can-Am...
2001 (born 1939)
Mountaineering
- Edmund HillaryEdmund HillarySir Edmund Percival Hillary, KG, ONZ, KBE , was a New Zealand mountaineer, explorer and philanthropist. On 29 May 1953 at the age of 33, he and Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers known to have reached the summit of Mount Everest – see Timeline of climbing Mount Everest...
(NZ) KBE 1953 (1919-2008) ONZOrder of New ZealandThe Order of New Zealand is the highest honour in New Zealand's honours system, created "to recognise outstanding service to the Crown and people of New Zealand in a civil or military capacity"...
1987, KG 1995 - John HuntJohn Hunt, Baron HuntBrigadier Henry Cecil John Hunt, Baron Hunt KG, PC, CBE, DSO, was a British army officer who is best known as the leader of the successful 1953 British Expedition to Mount Everest.-Early life and career:...
1953 (1910-1988) Life Peer 1966, KG 1979 - Chris BoningtonChris BoningtonSir Christian John Storey Bonington, CVO, CBE, DL is a British mountaineer.His career has included nineteen expeditions to the Himalayas, including four to Mount Everest and the first ascent of the south face of Annapurna.-Early life and expeditions:Educated at University College School in...
1996 (born 1934)
Rowing
- Steve RedgraveSteve RedgraveSir Steven Geoffrey Redgrave CBE is an English rower who won gold medals at five consecutive Olympic Games from 1984 to 2000. He has also won three Commonwealth Games gold medals and nine World Rowing Championships gold medals...
2001 (born 1962) - Matthew PinsentMatthew PinsentSir Matthew Clive Pinsent CBE is an English rower and broadcaster. During his rowing career, he won 10 world championship gold medals and four consecutive Olympic gold medals, of which three were with Steve Redgrave...
2005New Year Honours 2005- Knights Bachelor :*Clive John Bourne, J.P. For services to Charity and to Education.*Professor Robert Rees Davies, C.B.E., lately Chicele Professor of Medieval History at the University of Oxford. For services to History....
(born 1970)
Rugby
- Wilson WhinerayWilson WhineraySir Wilson James Whineray, KNZM, OBE is a former business executive and the longest-serving captain of the All Blacks, New Zealand's national rugby union team. Rugby writer T.P. McLean considered him the All Blacks' greatest captain.He first played for the All Blacks in 1957...
(NZ) 1998 (born 1935) KNZMNew Zealand Order of MeritThe New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five... - Brian LochoreBrian LochoreSir Brian James Lochore, ONZ, KNZM, OBE is a former rugby union footballer and coach who represented and captained the New Zealand national team, the All Blacks. He played at number 8 and lock, as well as captaining the side 46 times...
(NZ) 1999 (born 1940) KNZMNew Zealand Order of MeritThe New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five... - Clive WoodwardClive WoodwardSir Clive Ronald Woodward OBE is an English former rugby union player and coach. He was coach of the team from 1997 to 2004, managing them to victory in the 2003 Rugby World Cup. He is currently the British Olympic Association's Director of Elite Performance.-Early life:Woodward was born in Ely...
2004 (born 1956) - Ian McGeechanIan McGeechanSir Ian Robert McGeechan OBE is a Scottish former rugby union player and coach. His nickname is "Geech".-Playing career:...
2010 (born 1946) - Colin MeadsColin MeadsSir Colin Earl Meads, KNZM, MBE , is a former New Zealand rugby union footballer. He played 55 test matches , most frequently in the lock forward position, for New Zealand's national team, the All Blacks, from 1957 until 1971.Meads is widely considered one of the greatest players in history...
(NZ) 2009 (born 1936)
Yachting
- Francis ChichesterFrancis ChichesterSir Francis Charles Chichester KBE , aviator and sailor, was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for becoming the first person to sail single-handed around the world by the clipper route, and the fastest circumnavigator, in nine months and one day overall.-Early life:Chichester was born in Barnstaple,...
1967 (1901–1972) - Alec RoseAlec RoseSir Alec Rose was a nursery owner and fruit merchant in England who had a passion for amateur single-handed sailing, for which he was ultimately knighted....
1968 (1908-1991) - Naomi JamesNaomi JamesDame Naomi Christine James DBE, was the first woman to sail single-handed around the world via Cape Horn...
(NZ) 1979 (born 1949) - Robin Knox-JohnstonRobin Knox-JohnstonSir William Robert Patrick "Robin" Knox-Johnston, CBE, RD and bar is an English sailor. He was the first man to perform a single-handed non-stop circumnavigation of the globe and was the second winner of the Jules Verne Trophy . For this he was awarded with Blake the ISAF Yachtsman of the Year award...
1995 (born 1939) - Peter BlakePeter Blake (yachtsman)Sir Peter James Blake, KBE was a New Zealand yachtsman who won the Whitbread Round the World Race, the Jules Verne Trophy – setting the fastest time around the world of 74 days 22 hours 17 minutes 22 seconds on catamaran Enza, and led his country to successive victories in the America’s Cup...
(NZ) 1995 (1948–2001) - Chay BlythChay BlythSir Charles Blyth, CBE, BEM , known as Chay Blyth, is a Scottish yachtsman and rower. He was the first person to sail non-stop westwards around the world , on a 59-foot boat called British Steel.- Early life:...
1997 (born 1940) - Ellen MacArthurEllen MacArthurDame Ellen Patricia MacArthur, DBE is an English sailor, up until 2009, from Whatstandwell near Matlock in Derbyshire, now based in West Cowes, on the Isle of Wight. She is best known as a solo long-distance yachtswoman. On 7 February 2005 she broke the world record for the fastest solo...
2005 (born 1976)
See also
- United Kingdom order of precedenceUnited Kingdom order of precedenceThe Order of precedence in the United Kingdom is the sequential hierarchy for nobility, clergy and holders of the various Orders of Chivalry in the constituent countries of the United Kingdom:* England and Wales* Scotland* Northern Ireland...
- List of honorary British Knights
- Post-nominal lettersPost-nominal lettersPost-nominal letters, also called post-nominal initials, post-nominal titles or designatory letters, are letters placed after the name of a person to indicate that the individual holds a position, educational degree, accreditation, office, or honour. An individual may use several different sets of...