'Dad, I've been awarded an MBE,' says daughter's text
A FORMER Elizabeth College hockey captain is celebrating his daughter being awarded a MBE for services to hockey.
Bernie Richardson, 67, attended the college between 1963 and 1969, and was part of the school's first XI for three years, ending up as captain.
On New Year's Eve, he got a text from his daughter, Helen Richardson-Walsh, who won a gold medal as part of the 2016 Rio Olympics women's hockey team, saying she had been honoured on the New Year's list.
'She texted, I got an MBE,' he said. 'It was a surprise and it was fantastic.'
Helen's partner, hockey team captain Kate Richardson-Walsh, was awarded an OBE.
They were the first same-sex married couple to win an Olympic gold medal together, and the honours meant they were the first same sex married couple to be honoured on the same list.
Mr Richardson said his daughter had worked hard to get where she is, having undergone surgery and been forced to give up hockey for two years with an ankle injury.
'She thought she might never play again and was quite distraught,' he said.
'But she got back into it through tenacity and got selected again.'
