UK sport stars top 2012 Pink List

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Olympic gold medal-winning boxer Nicola Adams has topped this year’s Independent on Sunday Pink List of the 101 most influential LGBT figures in Britain.

During the London 2012 Olympics Games, Adams became the first female boxer to win an Olympic gold medal, beating China’s Ren Cancan in the flyweight final.

The 30-year-old from Leeds said: “It’s amazing to be on the list of such inspiring and influential people. 2012 continues to be a great year for me so thanks to everyone for their continued support.”

The paper said of Adams, who is bisexual, that she “is modest, hard-working and friendly. Everything, in short, that you would hope from a sporting hero”.

Television presenter Clare Balding came second while human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, who had failed to make last year’s list, was third.

Paralympic equestrian Lee Pearson was fourth, while Olympic equestrian Carl Hester, the only member of Great Britain’s Olympic squad to be openly gay at the time of the Games, was in fifth position.

Climate change minister Greg Barker, actress Heather Peace, Children’s minister David Laws and BBC Radio 1 breakfast DJ Nick Grimshaw were also in the top 10.

The Pink List was nominated by the weekly newspaper’s readers and finalised by a panel of judges.