New Year Honours 2020: MBE for British Gymnastics chief

Jane Allen has been recognised for her services to sport

The chief executive of British Gymnastics has been appointed an MBE for her services to the sport.

Jane Allen, from Newport, in Shropshire, who has held the role since 2010, has been recognised in the Queen's New Year Honours.

Under her leadership, gymnastics has seen major growth, with athletes winning medals at the Rio 2016 Olympics across all three of its disciplines.

She said, as an Australian, she was "really honoured" by the recognition.

"I have been in the UK for 10 years and really enjoyed my time here and to get an MBE and be recognised by the British government for my work for British Gymnastics is a great thrill," she said.

Originally from Melbourne, she joined the body after serving as CEO of Gymnastics Australia for 11 years.

Ms Allen has overseen an increase in participation during her time in the role, with 400,000 people now affiliated with British Gymnastics.

This led to it winning National Governing Body of the Year at the Sport Industry Awards 2016.

Ms Allen has also led two successful world championship bids, for the 2022 Artistic Championships and 2023 Trampoline Championships.

Louis Smith (left) and Max Whitlock (right) were among the British medal winners at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games

She said: "We hosted the 2015 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Glasgow which was a world-breaking championships in a lot of things, like its staging and how it was presented, so it was a huge thrill to be involved in that.

"Everybody who has worked together in gymnastics over the last 10 years has done a fabulous job.

"I'd have to say, the seven medals in Rio was really quite surreal.

"But the sport is growing as well, it is not just at the top end, I am really delighted in the growth in memberships in clubs."

Other honours recipients from Shropshire include:

• Georgina Gibbons, a teacher at Shrewsbury Opportunity Group, receives a British Empire Medal for services to education in the county

• Andrew Anthony Jowett, chief executive officer of Build It International, is appointed OBE for services to education in Zambia