Bath University’s Olympic hurdles coach Malcolm Arnold has been presented with an OBE, in recognition of his lifetime’s contribution to British athletics.

Mr Arnold, 72, was invited to a ceremony at Windsor Castle to receive his award from the Princess Royal last Thursday. He has worked with UK Athletics at Bath University for 15 years, training the best hurdlers and sprinters in the country.

His family came to watch him collect his award at the castle. “My wife, daughter and son-in-law were all there. I think they were more excited than me, but it’s a proud moment that I’d worked for my whole career,” he said.

This summer he was at the London Games 2012 working with Welsh 400m hurdler Dai Greene, who just missed out on a medal, coming fourth in the final, despite a knee injury in the winter disrupting his training schedule.

Before working for UK Athletics Mr Arnold was director of coaching for athletics in Uganda for five years, and has attended every Olympic Games in some capacity since Mexico City in 1968. He has been head coach at the UK Athletics Regional Performance Centre at the University of Bath since 1998, and worked closely with Colin Jackson when he won silver in the 110m hurdles at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, before going on to become a double European Champion.

He has no plans to settle down just yet, and is already deep in preparation for the European Indoor Championships next month, and next year’s World Championships in Moscow. He said: “I won’t be packing it in just yet.

“As long as you’re still fit and healthy you can just keep carrying on.”