Paralympics swim star Poppy Maskill collects MBE

Swimmer Poppy Maskill who was Britain's most successful athlete at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, got an early birthday treat as she collected her MBE from the King.

Maskill, who turns 20 on Saturday, won three gold and two silver medals at the games and was also given the honour of being a flagbearer at the closing ceremony.

Speaking after collecting the accolade in a ceremony at Windsor Castle, the star from Middlewich, Cheshire, said: "I am very happy.

"It is such an honour to receive this award."

The athlete, who was honoured for her services to swimming, won ParalympicsGB's first medal of the games with gold in the 100m S14 butterfly in world record time.

She then went on to win golds in the S14 100m backstroke and 4 x100m S14 freestyle relay as well as silvers in the 200m freestyle and 200m individual medley S14.

Meanwhile, Amy Truesdale, 36, of Chester, collected an MBE for services to taekwondo.

Truesdale and team-mate Matt Bush wrote their names into the history books by grabbing Britain's maiden Paralympic taekwondo golds.

Truesdale jubilantly celebrated with a one-handed handstand and by performing the splits in the centre of the Octagon following victory over Guljonoy Naimova in the women's K44 +65kg final.

Cyclist Sophie Unwin, 30, of Stockport, a two-time Paralympic champion from the Paris 2024 Games, collected an MBE for services to cycling.

Along with her pilot Jenny Holl, Unwin won gold in the women's B 3000m individual pursuit and the road race tandem B, plus silver in the road time trial and a bronze in the 1000m time trial.

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