Wollaston's golden girl Maisie made an MBE after Paralympic glory

Wollaston's swimming golden girl Maisie Summers-Newton has been recognised for her services to the sport in the New Year Honours list after being made an MBE.

The Paralympic champion thrilled spectators from home and across the globe with her record-breaking performances in the pool at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Games.

Making her debut at the Paralympics, the 19-year-old University of Northampton student brought back two gold medals to her Wollaston home cheered on by villagers who had got behind her.

Maisie said: "It's a real honour. When I opened the letter it was a real shock.

"It's something I'm really proud of."

She marked her World Para Swimming Championships debut in 2019 by winning a medal of each colour, claiming the World’s SM6 200m Individual Medley title and breaking her own world record in the process, as well as a silver in the SB6 100m Breaststroke and S6 100m Freestyle bronze.

At the 2020 Tokyo Games in the SB6 100m breaststroke, Maisie set a new games record in the morning heats before improving it again in the final as she beat China’s world record holder Liu Daomin.

Now back in training at Northampton Swimming Club and Corby International Pool for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022, the trainee primary school teacher has been juggling her studies with early mornings in the pool.

She recently completed her first placement at a Rushden primary school that she loved.

Maisie added: "It can be tiring and hard work but I'm used to it.

"Training is going really well. I'll have a few days off during Christmas and new year then I'm back.

"Thanks go to my coach Andy and my family.

"This year I've achieved a dream. I want to enjoy the rest of my swimming career and hope to defend my titles."

Maisie added: "It's been the best year of my life so far. I will be celebrating with close family."

Emotional homecoming for Wollaston's golden girl Maisie Summers-Newton.The north Northamptonshire New Year Honours list in full: Alison Duckles CBE (Wellingborough: Head, learning and development, Laing O'Rourke. For services to education), Yvonne Baker OBE (Rushden: Chief executive, STEM Learning. For services to STEM education), Dylan Fletcher-Scott MBE (formerly of Desborough: Olympic gold medal winner. For services to sailing), Kevin Moseley MBE (Wollaston: Founder and chief executive officer, SwimFin Ltd. For services to international trade, to investment and to charity), Maisie Summers-Newton MBE (Wollaston: Paralympic gold medal winner. For services to swimming), Charlotte Worthington MBE (Corby: Olympic gold medal winner. For services to BMX racing), Timothy Aldous BEM (Kettering: Works supervisor, Forestry England. For services to forestry), Ben Hodgkinson BEM (Geddington: Created CPAP device. For services to the NHS during Covid-19), Vincent James BEM (Irchester: Employee, Network Rail. For services to prisoners), Aaron Shrive BEM (Desborough: supplied the NHS with PPE. For services to the Covid-19 response), Julie West BEM (Rushden: Poppy Appeal volunteer, Rushden Branch Royal British Legion. For voluntary service to veterans).