Skiing brothers Neil and Andrew Simpson from Banchory in Scotland have been made MBEs in the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee birthday honours list.
Gold medallists Neil and Andrew Simpson pictured at the Beijing Paralympics after their gold medal winning run
The pair became the first male Team GB skiers to win gold when they triumphed in the Super-G during the winter Paralympics 2022 in Beijing
Para alpine skier Neil, aged 19, who competes in the B3 category due to a visual impairment, was guided by his brother Andrew, aged 21.
Commenting in their MBE, Neil said: “It’s a massive honour to be rewarded in this way. Not many people can say they have an honour from the Queen.
“What we did was pretty historical, being the first British male athletes to win a Paralympic gold medal on snow. It’s very special to be rewarded for what we did.”
Andrew added: “Even just to go to the Paralympics was amazing, so to get the gold and then to be recognised in this way – it’s something we could never have imagined. It’s a huge honour and something that we never expected. We’re just delighted that our achievements have been recognised like this.”
The brothers also took the bronze medal in the Super Combined race and were then chosen as Team GB’s flagbearers at the closing ceremony.
Another name from the world of UK skiing has been named in the Queen’s Birthday Honours. Roy Young, from Northeast Scotland, received a British Empire Medal (BEM) for ‘services to Nordic Skiing and to the community in Huntly’.
Roy and a group of other enthusiasts have developed the Huntly Nordic Ski Centre, which recently celebrated its 30th anniversary. He established a junior development squad which has given youngsters the opportunity to represent club and country up to World Cup/ Championships and Winter Olympics level.
This also led to the re-establishment of a cross country skiing programme for the British Olympic Association after a 20-year gap.
Categories: Racing