MBE a real honour for Simmonds
Paralympic swimmer Eleanor Simmonds has become the youngest person to be awarded an honour in the New Year Honours list.
Simmonds, who only turned 14 in November, won two gold medals in Beijing and is appointed MBE.
She described the award as "a huge and unexpected honour".
Swimmer David Roberts, who equalled Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson's record of 11 gold medals, and equestrian rider Lee Pearson, who now has nine, become CBEs.
Billy Pye, the coach of both Roberts and Simmonds, is appointed MBE.
Cyclists Darren Kenny, Sarah Storey, Aileen McGlynn and Ellen Hunter, and swimmer Sascha Kindred, become OBEs along with British Swimming disability performance director Tim Reddish and ParalympicsGB chief executive Phil Lane.
Cyclists Mark Bristow, Jody Cundy, Anthony Kappes, Barney Storey, Simon Richardson and David Stone, swimmer Matt Walker, equestrian riders Anne Dunham and Sophie Christiansen and wheelchair racer David Weir all become MBEs.
Simmonds claimed gold in both the S6 100 and 400m freestyle at the age of 13 to become Britain's youngest-ever Paralympic medallist.
 Pearson is yet to be beaten in three Paralympic equestrian competitions
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"I had to keep it a secret, but my mum knew."
Earlier this month she was named the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year but is setting her sights firmly on more golds in London in 2012.
"The last three months have been a whirlwind and, while feeling as though I am living a fairy tale, I want to work hard to keep my feet on the ground and refocus my efforts on my training and my schoolwork so that by 2012 I can hopefully repay in part the wonderful accolades and affection that I have received," she said.
Reddish also praised the efforts of Simmonds, and all of the Paralympians who were honoured.
"This is great recognition for Paralympic sport in general and it shows how disability sport is becoming the norm rather than the exception," he told BBC Sport.
"I can't remember as many athletes being honoured after any previous Games and I'm particularly pleased that swimming has been recognised.
"My own award came as a shock but I'd like to dedicate it to British Swimming because it is the culmination of 10 years of hard work which has brought us to where we are now."
Welsh swimmer Roberts won four golds in Beijing - three individual and one relay - to equal Grey-Thompson's mark of 11 Paralympic gold medals.
Pearson continued his unbeaten record by winning three golds - two individual, one team - for the third successive Paralympic Games.
Previously appointed MBE and OBE, he now becomes a CBE.
"It's great for all of us to be recognised for our achievements and I'm very proud to have been awarded another honour and happy for Anne and Sophie to have been honoured as well," said Pearson, who is now aiming towards 2012.
"I went into the Paralympics with an new and temperamental horse and it was a real test for me. When it got to the end of each of the competitions there was a real relief and to win three golds was unbelievable."
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