SIMON Clegg, the chief executive of the British Olympic Association and resident of Ewshot, was rewarded for his endeavours in securing the 27th Olympic Games in London by receiving a CBE last week. The former Rowledge resident, who received an OBE in 2001, travelled to Buckingham Palace with his family to receive the award as part of the Queen's New Year's Honours list. Responsible for overseeing the project since its inception in 1997, the ex-paratrooper was modest in his appraisal. "It's a huge privilege and a great honour, but I was only one of many spokes in the wheel. I was delighted to be involved with the project since 1997 to its successful conclusion in Singapore. Speaking of the "incredibly tense" moment last July when Simon learned that the Olympics would be coming to London, and not fierce rivals, Paris, he said: "It was a life-shattering moment. When the chairman of the NIC announced it was going to be London, it was as if everything had gone into slow motion." "I still have to pinch myself that we did actually deliver - it was a huge undertaking from the project being conceived at the BOA," he added. Looking forward to the future, he commented: "There has never been a more exciting time within Olympic sport within the UK and I am proud to have made a small contribution to that. "We have achieved a huge amount in the last 12 months - a fact enhanced by the additional £300 million announced by the chancellor in the budget. "This now means that all Olympic sports can focus on delivering programmes that will contribute to the BOA's aspirational target of fourth place in the 2012 Olympic medal table."
