Bradley Wiggins received a Knighthood after winning the Tour de France and then gold at the 2012 London Olympics.
Sarah Storey, Paralympic gold medal winner was made a Dame and Lord Coe became a Companion of Honour, having led the delivery of what is widely lauded as the most successful Olympic and Paralympic Games in living memory.
However, the List also reflects the British obsession with celebrating mediocrity, as promoted by the likes of Simon Cowell, inflicted on the nation via TV programmes such as X Factor and Britain's Got Talent.
It was therefore not surprising to see Hector Sants, lately of the Financial Services Authority (FSA), awarded a Knighthood for "services to financial services and regulation".
In this particular case, I would suggest that "mediocre" is a mellow description of Mr Sants' contribution to the UK financial services sector and regulation in particular - given that he led the creation of a regulatory system that stifles innovation and snuffs out flare.
But evidently a remuneration package of over £835,000 (according to the Daily Telegraph) was not sufficient for his efforts at the FSA, which ended in June, and a Knighthood has followed.
Given that the Prime Minister's salary is currently £142,000 per annum, it's difficult to fathom what made Mr Sants worthy of such colossal earnings.
He joined the FSA in 2004 as Managing Director responsible for wholesale and institutional markets and was promoted to Chief Executive in 2007.
The former investment banker was therefore at the helm during the collapse of Northern Rock, the near-collapse of RBS, the Lloyds / HBOS merger, and the folding / rapid merger of a number of building societies.
As the regulator's role in these momentous events came under scrutiny, Mr Sants weathered many a storm and took opportunities to roundly condemn the failings of former RBS Chief Executive, Sir Fred Goodwin and Barclays' "aloof" John Varley.
According to the BBC's Business Bditor, Robert Peston, Mr Sants actually has a talent for "irking" senior bankers.
But unperturbed, Barclays has offered Hector Sants a job, and appointed him to the newly-created post of Head of Compliance and Government and Regulatory Relations.
Taking up the role later this month, he will oversee all compliance activities across the bank, including all regions in which it does business, and will take on responsibility for the bank’s relationships with governments and regulators around the world.
Rumour has it that Mr Sants will receive a seven-figure sum for slipping into the new role which, given his "irking" qualities around senior bankers, does not involve a seat on Barclays' board.
And on behalf of the UK's mediocracy, I can only say that we are at least grateful that he will be able to afford a lifestyle fitting to a Knight Bachelor of the Realm.
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