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Mel Marshall appointed MBE for services to swimming and charity

Mel Marshall has been awarded an MBE for services to swimming and charity.

The Loughborough National Centre lead coach has received the accolade in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list 2021.

An impressive swimming CV, which includes seven Commonwealth Games medals and two Olympic appearances, has since flourished into a hugely successful, high-profile coaching career working with Britain’s top swimmers.

The MBE announcement comes weeks before she will be heading to Tokyo as part of the Team GB coaching staff for the delayed 2020 Olympic Games.

Mel said: “I’m delighted to receive the MBE and this recognition.

It’s really important for me now that I can open doors with it, continue my work with charities and hopefully make bigger differences.

“I’m super over the moon, thankful for the opportunity and looking forward to hopefully being able to take my mum to meet the Queen!”

‘Determined to do my bit’

Aside from her coaching career working alongside Adam Peaty, Mel is also an ambassador for Sport in Action and has helped raise tens of thousands of pounds for charities.

In the past, Mel has spoken of how important charity work is to her.

She said: “I love my job as a coach and I love that my job gives me a vehicle to make a difference in places like Africa.

“My charity work is a check-in point. I work in an industry that’s fast moving and with glitz and glamour but there are other very challenging issues in the world and I’m determined to do my bit for those less privileged.”

Swim England chief executive Jane Nickerson was also awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for services to swimming during the Covid-19 pandemic.

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