The 69-year-old has accepted an invitation to take up the ceremonial role of the County Borough of the city.

 

She will replace the current incumbent Lady Romayne Carswell when she retires in August.

Dame Mary, who already has a Belfast athletics track named after her, said she was extremely humbled by the latest honour.

The title Lord Lieutenant is given to the British monarch's personal representatives.

 

It is usually a retired local notable, senior military officer, peer or business person is given the post honorarily.

 

Dame Mary will be only the ninth Lord Lieutenant of Belfast since the role was created in 1900.

 

She said: "I just find it quite amazing that I should be put in this position.

 

“A wee girl from a very average background to be the Queen’s representative in Belfast is just extraordinary.

 

"I feel very humbled by it.

 

"I would say a lot of former Lord Lieutenants have been from the aristocracy.

"And I just think that maybe the time is right for somebody with a different background to take on the role.
 

Dame Mary, who was born in Liverpool but moved with her family to Northern Ireland when she was 11, hopes her new role will help her to be in a position to persuade overseas teams prepare in Belfast for the London 2012 Olympics.

 

She said: “We’re trying very hard to get teams to come here to do their pre-Olympic training, their final splash as it were.

 

"And I hope that will inspire a lot of youngsters to see people coming, but you know every city in the UK is trying to entice teams so I’m going to have to play a very big role in trying to get them here.”

 

Her victory in Munich in 1972, four years after finishing fourth in Mexico City, was memorable as she narrowly beat Germany's Heide Rosendahl, the favourite.

 

Forty years will have passed since her triumph when 2012 comes round and while she believes it is now harder than ever to win gold, she remains hopeful London will witness another local star climbing to the top of the podium.

 

She said: “A big role I play through the Mary Peters Trust is to give grants to a lot of young sports people every year to give them that opportunity to get on the step ladder to success."