Skip to content

Queen's Birthday Honours: Northampton trampoline coach 'overwhelmed' by MBE

Getty Images Tracy Whittaker-SmithGetty Images
Tracy Whittaker-Smith has been to five Olympic games including the last three as a coach

An Olympic trampoline coach said she was "overwhelmed" to become an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours.

Tracy Whittaker-Smith, from Northampton, coached Great British athletes to medals in Rio and Tokyo.

The 57-year-old is now head trampoline coach at British Gymnastics and has been honoured for her contribution to the sport.

She said she saw the honour as "everybody's as so many people contributed" to her career.

Ms Whittaker-Smith was also an integral part in the growth of the Northamptonshire Trampoline Gymnastics Academy.

The centre, in Northampton, sees 1,000 members through its doors a week as well being used for training by the Great Britain teams.

She said the academy "changed the landscape in Great Britain" by having recreational members all the way up to elite athletes.

"It's been instrumental in pushing the sport forward," she said.

Getty Images Tracy Whittaker-SmithGetty Images
Tracy Whittaker-Smith coached Kat Driscoll who won World Championship golds in the team and synchro events

Ms Whittaker-Smith has been coaching for 40 years and said when she starting trampolining "was just a school activity" that has now grown into an Olympic sport.

"It feels like a whole journey from recreational sport to high performance," she said.

She said when she received the letter informing her of her honour "I was just truly shocked, overwhelmed, I thought 'what's all this for?'".

Ms Whittaker-Smith said she was now in her sixth Olympic cycle and would be looking to replicate the success the female trampoline team had with the men's programme.

Also appointed MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours:

  • Sevcan Kudu, 35, from Northamptonshire, for services to prisoners and voluntary services to refugees. She is diversity and inclusion lead at HMP and YOI Bedford
  • Peter Bason, 66, from Northampton, for services to education and sport in Northampton. He has been a member of the Old Northamptonians Association for 40 years and is chair of governors at Northampton School for Boys (NSB)
Presentational grey line

Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected]