The Australian is credited with doing most to make sure that the enormous construction project of the London 2012 Olympics has run on time and kept well within the £8.1 billion budget.

London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe said the honour was "thoroughly deserved" and paid tribute to Higgins' contribution during his time as chief executive of the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA).

"David Higgins played a central role in the extraordinary progress we have made in the delivery of the Olympic Park - both the regeneration and the world class sports venues." said Coe.

"The athletes and the country have a fabulous platform for a great Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012 and the East End of London has been left with a transformation that only comes around once in a generation.

"This is thoroughly deserved."

Higgins, who preferred not to comment on his honour, gained a reputation as a steady hand as ODA chief executive, making him a man in demand.

He left the ODA in February with the London 2012 project all but finished to join Network Rail, where he has taken over as chief executive.

Higgins was previously chief executive of Lend Lease, the construction firm responsible for the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

Also honoured are athletes Phillips Idowu and Jessica Ennis and cyclist Mark Cavendish all become MBEs.


There is also an honour for former basketball star John Amaechi (pictured), who grew up in Stockport before moving to the United states and becoming one of the game's biggest names.

He is made OBE.

The 40-year-old became the first openly gay NBA player after coming out in 2007.

He is now involved with the ABC Foundation in Manchester, which encourages children to become involved in sports and their communities by building youth sports centers throughout the United Kingdom.

The first such facility, the Amaechi Basketball Centre, was built in Manchester,

Ennis, who won heptathlon gold at last year's European Championships in Barcelona to add to the world title she claimed in Berlin in 2009, has told of her pride at the honour that she and fellow 2012 hopeful Idowu have received.

"It is hard to put into words what it feels like to get such an honour in recognition of my sporting achievements," said the Sheffield-born 25-year-old.

"I love my sport and can't think of anything I would want to do more, and to be recognised for the years of hard work and the success I have had over the past two years means so much."

Ennis also paid credit to Idowu, the world and European triple jump champion.

"I would also like to congratulate Phillips on getting an MBE - this is so good for the sport of athletics and I hope it will inspire all of the young athletes out there," she said.


Cavendish (pictured), who has 15 Tour de France stage wins to his name and hopes to add Olympic glory in the 2012 road race, spoke of how much the honour means to him and the sport of cycling.

"It is a massive honour for me to be recognised like this - it is not often that a cyclist is honoured without winning an Olympic medal," said the 26-year-old from the Isle of Man.

"It is a great list of names that have been honoured and for me to be alongside them is massive for me.

"Cycling is growing and I am more known now, but I don't do this for any celebrity status, I do it for the love of the sport.

"To know that cycling is getting recognised makes me massively proud."

Several sports administrators are also recognised, most notably David Sparke, the chief executive of British Swimming and the Amateur Swimming Association, who is made an OBE. 

"I am delighted to receive this national honour," said Sparkes (pictured).


"However the massive progress we have made in swimming has been due to a great team effort.

"The team we have in swimming is fantastic and it has been a great honour to lead that team over the last 17 years."

People who rarely enjoy the spotlight are also named in the honours list.

They include Jane Ashworth, the chief executive of StreetGames, who receives an OBE. 

Celebrating 23 years in sport and youth development, Ashworth has earned a reputation as one of the leading voices and opinion shapers in community sport.

She established the trailblazing charity, StreetGames, in 2007 to address the lack of opportunities for disadvantaged young people to participate in sport in the UK.

"I am surprised and excited to receive this honour," said Ashworth.

"But this is not just an award for me.

"It's an award for all those who have worked with me over the years to bring sporting opportunities to disadvantaged young people.

"Cynics have observed that OBE stands for Others' Brilliant Efforts. In this case, they're right.

"StreetGames is a team effort, everyone working with us is passionate about what we do.

"There is much that StreetGames aspires to achieve and, as with any form of recognition, this gives us the impetus to do just that."

There are also MBEs for Frank Horwill, the founder of the British Milers' Club who has coached 49 British internationals, and Don Anthony, a noted Olympic historian

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]