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Katherine Batts Honored With An MBE

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Open water swimmers throughout the world have been honored by their national governments for their contributions to their country over the generations, including most recently Katherine Batts, MBE (65, Great Britain, MSF bio here).

In the midst of her own solo crossings and 18 relays across the English Channel, Catalina Channel, Lake Tahoe, Loch Lomond, Lake Memphremagog, and around Manhattan Island, Batts was honored for her service as the Treasurer of the City of Rochester Swimming and Lifeguard Club, and for her voluntary service to swimming and to the Royal Life Saving Society.

She was included in the United Kingdom’s New Year’s Day Honour List and will meet the British royals at Windsor Castle on 22nd July.

As a member of The King’s Swimmer, she is described “as the expert when it comes to Channel relays. She has been in 18 teams that have conquered the English Channel – as well as completing her own solo swim from England to France in 2013.

Her swimming achievements date back to 1975 when she was a member of the youngest mixed relay team to swim the Channel. The same year she swam Lake Bala and was hooked on long distance swimming. In 2017 she was a member of the oldest ladies team to swim the English Channel.

She competed in the World Masters Swimming Championships in Brisbane, Australia, in 1988 and was a member of the first British Ladies team to complete a two-way English Channel in 1996. In 2011 she was a member of the first ladies relay team to swim around the Isle of Wight and in 2012 she had the honour of not only carrying the Olympic Torch at Deal, but also starting the days relay – an accolade bestowed because of her services to the Community as well as her swimming and Lifesaving achievements over many years. In 2015 she swam around Manhattan Island. Her other swims include Loch Lomond, Lake Windermere, Walton to Clacton, St Germans to Kings Lynn and the Inter Services Championship in Lake Bala. In 2017 she swam the Catalina Channel and achieved the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming. In 2018, Kathy swum the length of Lake Tahoe in California and became the first British Lady, first European Lady and third British person to complete the swim.

Kathy has represented the Royal Life Saving Society South East Region in Lifesaving and Lifeguarding and has won the National Championships in both disciplines several times during several decades. She was a crew member on an Royal Life Saving Society lifeboat for nine-and-a-half years. She is a Royal Life Saving Society National Training Assessor for lifesaving, pool lifeguarding and beach lifeguarding; a First Aid Instructor; and is Level Two Power Boat qualified. Kathy is also a Flt. Lieutenant in the RAF Reserve and a Section Commander for RAF cadets.“

She joins a number of other open water swimmers who have been similarly honored by their respective governments:

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Great Britain

Canada

Australia

Hong Kong

Hungary

  • Attila Mányoki, Hungarian Golden Cross of Merit (Hungary, shown above)
  • Éva Risztov, Hungarian Silver Cross of Merit, Order of Merit of Hungary – Officer’s Cross (Hungary)

Italy

Netherlands

Brazil

Serbia

South Africa

India

Pakistan/Bangladesh

  • Brojen Das, Presidential Pride of Performance (Pakistan), Independence Award (Bangladesh)

Definitions

MBE: The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service.

OBE: The Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is the second highest ranking Order of the British Empire award (excluding a knighthood/damehood), behind CBE but ahead of MBE.

CM: The Order of Canada is the cornerstone of the Canadian Honours System and recognizes outstanding achievement, dedication to the community, and service to the nation. The Order recognizes people in all sectors of Canadian society.

OAM: The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. In the General Division, Service worthy of particular recognition.

AM: The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. In the General Division, Service in a particular locality or field of activity or to a particular group.

OHS is a Papal knight of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre (granted to Des Renford by Pope John Paul II).

BBS: The Bronze Bauhinia Star ((Chinese: 銅紫荊星章, BBS) is the lowest rank in Order of the Bauhinia Star in Hong Kong, created in 1997 to replace the British honours system of the Order of the British Empire after the transfer of sovereignty to People’s Republic of China and the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

JP:  Justices of the Peace are essentially titles of honour given by the Hong Kong Government to community leaders, and to certain officials while they are in their terms of offices.

The Hungarian Cross of Merit (Hungarian: Magyar Érdemkereszt) is the fifth highest State Order of Hungary. Until 2011, the order was awarded the called the Cross of Merit of the Republic of Hungary.

The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (Italian: Cavaliere della Repubblica) is the senior Italian order of merit.

The Orde van Oranje-Nassau (English: The Order of Orange-Nassau) is a civil and military Dutch order of chivalry founded by the queen regent, Emma of the Netherlands. The order is a chivalric order open to everyone who has performed acts of special merits for society.

OIG: The Order of Ikhamanga is a South African honour granted by the President of South Africa for achievements in arts, culture, literature, music, journalism, and sports (which were initially recognised by the Order of the Baobab). Gold (OIG) is for exceptional achievement.

Padma Shri (IAST: padma śrī), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest civilian award of the Republic of India that is conferred in recognition of distinguished contribution in various spheres of activity including the arts, education, industry, literature, science, acting, medicine, social service and public affairs.

The Padma Bhushan is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India given for distinguished service of a high order…without distinction of race, occupation, position or sex. The award criteria include service in any field including service rendered by Government servants including doctors and scientists.

The Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award, formerly known as the National Adventure Awards, is the highest adventure sports honour of the Republic of India, awarded annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports for outstanding achievement in the field of adventure activities on land, sea and air.

The Presidential Pride of Performance (Urdu: تمغہِ حسنِ کارکردگی) is an award bestowed by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to recognize people with notable achievements in the field of art, science, literature, sports, and nursing. 

The Independence Award (Bengali: স্বাধীনতা পদক), also termed Swadhinata Padak and Swadhinata Puroskar, is the highest state award given by the government of Bangladesh to Bangladeshi citizens or organizations in recognition of substantial contribution to one of many fields, including the War of Liberation, the Language Movement, education, literature, journalism, public service, science and technology, medical science, social science, song, games and sports, fine arts, rural development, and other areas.

© 2025 Daily News of Open Water Swimming

“to educate, enthuse, and entertain all those who venture beyond the shoreline“

A World Open Water Swimming Federation project.

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