FORMER world record-breaking athlete Derek Ibbotson has received his MBE from the Queen.
The 75-year-old travelled down with members of his family for the ceremony at Buckingham Palace yesterday morning.
Derek broke the world mile record in July 1957 by clocking up a time of 3min 57.2sec and won a bronze medal at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.
He said: “The Queen was really brilliant and said I’d had to wait a long time for the MBE. It has been a tremendous day and was one of the best moments of my life.”
He was watched by his partner, Lynette Beveridge, and two of his daughters, 52-year-old Christine and 29-year-old Joanna.
Derek always stayed true to his Huddersfield roots after finishing a glittering athletics career and was honoured by the Examiner when he was given the Lifetime Achievement Awards at the Examiner’s Community Awards in 2006.
He received the MBE for services to athletics and hopes it will inspire youngsters to follow in his running shoes.
He has personally appeared at many events promoting athletics among the young across Kirklees.
