Royal seal of approval for graduate

Northumbria University graduate and gold-winning Olympian Victoria Pendleton has been awarded a CBE by Her Majesty The Queen.

Victoria, who graduated from Northumbria University in 2002 with a BSc (Hons) in Sports and Exercise Science, was awarded the CBE for services to cycling.

She won gold and silver at the London 2012 Olympics, making her one of the most successful British female Olympians.

The award of CBE is the latest in a series of accolades for Victoria. She was made an MBE in 2009 and was listed in the New Year Honours after she won the gold medal in the keirin last year. In 2008 Northumbria University awarded her an Honorary Doctorate of Civil Law in recognition of her contribution to sport.

Now retired, Victoria has enjoyed a glittering career which has seen her win nine world titles – including a record-equalling six in the individual sprint – which makes her Britain’s most successful woman track cyclist.

Kevin Robertson, Victoria’s former sports science lecturer, said: “We are very proud of all that she has achieved since leaving University and are delighted that she has put her knowledge of sport science to such good use.

“We take sport very seriously at Northumbria and, at the time of her studies with us there was a small group of fabulous cyclists including Victoria, Marshall Thomas and Craig Percival who created a fantastic supportive atmosphere for each other. We feel so privileged to have had a world-leader and an Olympic hero in our ranks.”