大象传媒

Olympic gold medalist and Commonwealth Games England president Denise Lewis says she is "delighted and immensely proud" to be made a dame.

Lewis is among several members of the 2022 Birmingham Games' organising team to be recognised in the King's New Year Honours.

The organising committee chair, John Crabtree, has been knighted while chief executive Ian Reid has been made a CBE.

"It fills me with great pride," said Lewis, who grew up in Wolverhampton.

She added: "I'm delighted and immensely proud - this doesn't normally happen to people like me and I just think I am extremely honoured, extremely proud and it's right up there, I just can't wait."

The 50-year-old Buckinghamshire resident, who won heptathlon Gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, said the Games in Birmingham last summer surpassed all expectations.

"Birmingham really did come alive - they embraced the Games and it came just at the right time; the appetite for the nation just needed that sense of coming together," she explained.

Show less