Queen's birthday honours: Sporting stars 'overwhelmed' by awards

Longevity has its rewards, as some prominent New Zealand sportspeople found in the Queen's Birthday Honours.

The exploits of long-serving cricketer Chris Cairns, former world champion discus thrower Beatrice Faumuina and retired rugby referee Paddy O'Brien were recognised when they were made Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

Veteran All Black rugby halfback Justin Marshall was named as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, as were lesser-known figures such as motor-racing stalwart Charles Stanton, former women's rugby player Anna Richards, gymnastics official Marie Stechman and harness racing's Richard Yarndley.

Cairns first played for New Zealand in the 1989-1990 season and went on to play 62 tests and 190 one-day internationals. He has retired from the test scene but continues to excel in the one-day arena.

Cairns said he was pleasantly surprised with the honour.

"You sort of don't expect these things in life, but when they come along it's fabulous, it's wonderful, I'm really honoured," he said from England.

Cairns said he was spending a few weeks in Britain, where he is to play in two Asian tsunami charity matches, a one-dayer at Lord's and a Twenty-20 match at The Oval before returning to New Zealand.

Faumuina was the discus world champion in 1997, won Commonwealth Games gold medals in the discipline in 1998 and 2002, and still competes on the world stage.

"What a lovely surprise, I'm overwhelmed and I'd like to thank the people who nominated me, it's totally unexpected," she said.

Faumuina is preparing to compete in the world championships in Helsinki in August and will leave soon for a month of buildup in Europe.

O'Brien recently retired after a refereeing career which began in 1984 and has taken up a new position with the International Rugby Board in Ireland.

- NZPA