A gold medal-winning Paralympian from West Lothian has been awarded an MBE for services to archery in the King’s New Year honours list.
Nathan Macqueen, who lives in Addiewell, won his gold medal at the Paralympic Games in Paris earlier this year, in the mixed team compound final with teammate Jodie Grinham.
And Nathan couldn’t wait to tell his gran Rita Macqueen about the award as she is a big fan of the Royal Family.
The 33-year-old, who had played rugby competitively for Glasgow Warriors at U18 level at the time, was involved in a motorbike crash while still a teenager.
The horrific incident, not long after he turned 18, left him paralysed from the waist down.
At that point he could never have imagined winning a gold medal or receiving such an esteemed honour as an MBE.
Nathan, dad to seven-year-old son Casey, was inspired by his wife Tara, 38, to get involved in archery.
He had tried his hand at power lifting and wheelchair basketball but a shoulder injury curtailed his progress in both sports.
However, he had initially tried his hand and eye at archery as a boy and when he picked up a bow again he quickly became hooked, and before long he was regularly hitting the gold bullseye.
As well as the Paralympics gold, he also has three European Paralympic Championship medals to his name.
After eight years of practice and dedication he took the gold medal at this year’s Paralympic Games, and was invited to a special event for medallists at Buckingham Palace in November, where he met King Charles.
Now he’s among those named in the monarch’s New Year Honours List but has had to wait a while to let others know.
He said: “I found out about a month ago. I can’t wait to tell my gran, she’s 91 years old and has been a great supporter and is a bit of a Royalist.
“It’s nice to receive an MBE, I’ve had a good year and I had a good games and got the gold medal after eight years of hard work. This is the kind of cherry on the top.
“The medals and recognition from Paralympics and from archery are great, but an MBE means you’re being recognised on a bigger scale.”
Nathan is already targeting the World Archery Championships in 2025 and beyond that aims to participate at the Paralympics in Los Angeles in 2028.
“When I had my accident I didn’t think 15 years down the line I’d be Paralympics champion and have an MBE,” he added.
“I’m not sure if I can be presented with the MBE in Edinburgh, if I can then I will be able to take my gran with me.
“It’s quite cool and I’ve read that my son can now get married at St Paul’s Cathedral. Or, if I was to renew my vows with Tara we could go there to do it.”
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