BRITAIN'S leading wheelchair athlete Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson was close to tears when she collected her latest honour from the Queen at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday.
"I was fine until I saw my dad," she said. "It was really emotional."
Dame Tanni, 35, of Redcar, has won 11 gold medals, including gold at the Athens Paralympics. She was made a Dame in the New Year Honours.
Already awarded an OBE and MBE, she said: "It's pretty cool to be Dame Tanni - I never thought this would happen in my life. It shows how far paralympic sport has come in this country."
Dame Tanni, who also has the freedom of the Redcar and Cleveland Borough, received her damehood for services to disabled sport.
She later held a lunch party for 27 family and friends, including her father, Peter Grey, husband Ian, and three- year-old daughter Carys.
"Carys was too young to come to the investiture so she went to Madame Tussaud's instead," she added.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article