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Dorset's gold medal women in New Year's Honours

PA Media A smiling Alice Tai posing with her Paralympic gold medal at the Paris 2024 gamesPA Media
Alice Tai won five medals, including two golds, at the 2024 Paralympics.

Three Paralympic and Olympic champions from Dorset have been recognised in the King's New Year's Honours list.

Alice Tai has been made an OBE for services to swimming after winning five medals, including two golds, at the 2024 Paralympics.

Bryony Page, has been made an MBE for services to trampoline gymnastics after her Olympic triumph.

And Olympic kitesurf champion Ellie Aldridge has also been made an MBE for services to sailing after becoming the first ever formula kite gold medallist.

Page - who is originally from Crewe but lives and trains in Poole - is Olympic, World, European and British trampoline champion, after taking gold in Paris in August.

"I could not have reached the heights I have in sport without so many people's commitments, contributions and expertise," she said.

"This MBE is a wonderful accolade to be awarded after such a fantastic year for me, one that I am incredibly proud of, but very importantly I feel it is in recognition of years of dedication and efforts of my support team around me."

PA A smiling Bryony Page posing with her gold medal at the Paris 2024 OlympicsPA
Bryony Page won Team GB's first trampolining gymnastics gold medal.

Sarah Powell, CEO of British Gymnastics, said: "There could not be anyone more deserving of this honour than Bryony - not just because of her historic achievements in taking trampoline gymnastics to new heights and the way she has gone about doing that, but also because of everything she has given to the sport and local communities alongside that."

Tai, who was born in Poole, is among six Aquatics GB athletes to receive honours.

Tai's Paris medal haul included gold in both the Women's S8 50m Freestyle and 100m Backstroke.

She was previously made an MBE in 2017.

PA Media Ellie Aldridge posing with her gold medal at the 2024 Olympics event in MarseillePA Media
Ellie Aldridge was the Olympics' first formula kite gold medallist.

Aldridge, also from Poole, said: "It really has been an amazing year, and this feels like the cherry on the cake.

"I didn't go to university and I never thought I'd ever have any letters after my name, let alone MBE.

"To be recognised alongside extremely inspiring and extraordinary people is such a privilege and I do believe sport can change lives for the better."

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