David Weir's coach Jenny Archer made an MBE
Jenny Archer, the coach of six-time Paralympic gold medallist David Weir, is among those recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.
The Londoner has been made an MBE for services to disability athletics, with Weir among those to have given his congratulations.
"Well done to my coach for her MBE, well deserved and overdue," Weir tweeted. "If it wasn't for her I wouldn't have won all my medals."
Having initially met Weir when he was eight years old when looking for athletes to take part in the London Youth Games, Archer became the wheelchair racer's coach after the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens, where Weir won T54 100m silver and 200m bronze but wanted more.
Weir won the first of his six London Marathon titles shortly after joining up with Archer and went on to win double gold at the 2008 Paralympics before claiming four titles - in the 800m, 1500m, 5000m and marathon - in London in 2012.
Archer, who also coaches the likes of Shelly Woods and upcoming athletes Sheikh Sheikh and Will Smith, now also works with Weir as part of the Weir Archer Academy with the aim of passing on their knowledge and experience to the next generation. In 2012 Archer received the 'Coach of the Year' title at the Sunday Times Sportswomen of the Year Awards.
"Congratulations to my coach Jenny Archer on her MBE in the queens birthday honours. So well deserved!" tweeted Woods.
It was in a previous role when running a fitness programme for the "Crazy Gang" of Wimbledon FC when Archer - herself a former 400m and 800m runner - began to make her name in coaching and she went on to join the football club as a full-time fitness coach. Since then she has coached a number of individuals and teams.
Also among those honoured by the Queen is wheelchair racer Anne Wafula-Strike who becomes an MBE for services to disability sport and charity and parkrun founder Paul Sinton-Hewitt who is made a CBE for services to grassroots sport participation. Coach George Harrison becomes an MBE for services to athletics, while Paul Hawkins, inventor of the Hawk-Eye system used recently at the inaugural World Relays in Nassau, is made an OBE for services to technology and sport.
» You can find the full Queen’s Birthday Honours list here
