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Olympians, Paralympians and a professor who uses maggots head Wales' list of names on the 2013 New Year honours.

A knighthood goes to Dave Brailsford, Team GB's Welsh-speaking cycling guru, who grew up in Deiniolen, Gwynedd.

Swansea-based Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds upgrades her MBE to an OBE, while Olympic taekwondo champion Jade Jones from Flint receives the MBE.

Prof Keith Harding from Cardiff University has a CBE for leading the way in .

Chartered accountant Geraint Davies also becomes a CBE for decades of charity work that includes 32 years advising on funds raised for the Aberfan mining disaster in 1966 that killed 144 people, including 116 children.

Mr Davies, 58, of Penarth, who has also served on the boards of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and the Wales Millennium Centre, said he was "privileged to be in the company of so many exceptional people from Wales who have been honoured in this way in the past".

Roger Williams, the Lib Dem MP for Brecon and Radnorshire, also becomes a CBE.

"I make a real effort never to be surprised by things in public life, but this was a huge surprise," he said.

Other politicians honoured include Cardiff's former Lib Dem council leader Rodney Berman and Melvyn Nott, the Labour leader of Bridgend council, who both receive the OBE.

OBEs for public sector careers include Dr Peter Higson, of Llanrwst, Conwy, the former chief executive of Wales' health care inspectorate and Dr Wyn Price, of Pontycymmer, Bridgend, the head of the Welsh government's civil emergency planning.

Other OBEs include Judith Hall, professor of anaesthetics, intensive care and pain medicine at Cardiff's University Hospital of Wales, who is also the founder of the Mothers of Africa charity.

Sporting honours continue with an MBE for cyclist Mark Colbourne, from Tredegar, who claimed Wales' first gold of the 2012 Paralympic Games.

Colbourne, 43, broke his back in 2009 when forced into an emergency landing on Rhossili beach, Gower, Swansea, after his paragliding wing collapsed.

Discus throwers Aled Sion Davies, from Bridgend, and Josie Pearson from Hay-on-Wye, Powys, who both won Paralympic gold, also receive the MBE.

Both Colbourne and Davies were contenders for 91�ȱ� Wales Sports Personality of the Year 2012, won by Jade Jones.

Former Glamorgan and England cricketer Robert Croft receives an MBE. The Swansea-born spin bowler retired from first class cricket this year at the age of 42 and now commentates on the game.

Wales and British Lions rugby legend JJ Williams receives an MBE for his services to the game and to charity.

Anthony Hughes, performance manager at Disability Sport Wales, adds an MBE to his Sport Wales Coach of the Year title. A wheelchair user himself, he played a crucial role in spotting and encouraging many of the athletes who brought Wales success at the 2012 Paralympic games.

Honours to medical people include Cardiff University's former professor of medicine, John Williams, for services to renal patients. He receives an OBE.

Libya-born Dr Mahdi Mabruk Jibani, 60, of Llanfairpwll, Anglesey, receives an MBE for his work with kidney patients at Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor.

His citation says he has been the driving force in promoting an extensive home dialysis programme and satellite renal unit for patients living in rural north Wales.

Dr Jibani has also contributed to interfaith understanding as vice-chair of the North West Wales Inter Faith Network and is a member of North Wales Muslim Council.

He said: "I'm humbled by the fact my colleagues and people who work around me must have put in a submission to recognise the work we do in Bangor."

Christine Evans-Thomas continued the fundraising work of her son Adam, who died of leukaemia in 2004, and the Bucketful of Hope Appeal she founded in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, has gone on to raise £500,000.

She said her MBE in the honours list is a tribute to her son's memory.