‘Dad bought me two tonnes of sand for 16th’

It’s a room packed with memorabilia, paintings, family photographs and knick-knacks - and, on the floor, a carpet with the Olympic rings motif.

‘‘Shall we do a photograph there?’’, she asks our photographer, and before he has time to respond, shoes are whipped off and she’s down on the floor, in pose, ready for a snap. Pictures taken, this soon-to-be octogenarian, gets up with balletic finesse; no moans, groans, creaky joints, or complaint.

Whatever her secret, Mary Peters could easily pass for at least 15 years younger. She has a youthful glow, which she puts down to a simple beauty routine of soap, water and hand cream on her face!

‘‘It has worked for me,’’ she laughs, ‘‘I don’t have too many wrinkles for an 80-year-old.’’

In addition she follows a healthy diet, but isn’t averse to an occasional tipple.

‘‘Oh absolutely, I’m quite normal. I don’t drink on my own, but if I am out socialising I enjoy a glass of wine or a gin and tonic, or even a brandy and lemonade.’’

But what is most astounding is that the Olympic golden girl underwent major heart surgery just seven months ago - a six-hour operation to replace a heart valve, which she has just discovered came from a pig!

‘‘I had my last cardiac rehabilitation session this morning at Musgrave Park Hospital and my blood pressure was lower than it has ever been. I was just checking with the nurse if it was a cow’s valve or a pig’s that I received, and it is a porcine,’’ she says, making piggy noises, before bursting into fits of giggles.

The former Olympic pentathlete shows me the scar, which runs the length of her chest, but is delighted to have been given a second chance.

‘‘The surgeon said to me that if I didn’t have the operation, I might not be here in a year’s time, but if I did have it I could get another 10 years, so unless something else occurs, I feel very fortunate. I have had no problems, they did a wonderful job and I never had any pain or discomfort, although I was obviously a bit tired for a while. I just think it’s a miracle.’

And not one to malinger, this active lady was soon back out for her daily walk; doing her work for the Mary Peters Trust, the sporting charity, which helps young people, both disabled and able-bodied, achieve their sporting dreams and ambitions; and enjoying her hobbies, patchwork quilting and knitting (her knitted dish cloths are much sought after around the world).

And this week she’s off to London for a private audience with the Queen to be bestowed with the most prestigious royal honour - the Order of the Garter.

For a lady with so many royal honours, she describes it as the ‘‘icing on the cake’’.

‘‘It’s something that people like me would never even begin to imagine could happen because it is the highest award of chivalry.’’

Such an auspicious occasion would cause many a sartorial dilemma, and Mary admits she is torn between two outfits.

‘‘When I got the email inviting me, I emailed back to ask if a day dress would be appropriate and they said absolutely, yes.’’

She adds: ‘‘The lovely thing is that I have to design, with the help of the College of Arms, a heraldic flag, which will hang at St George’s Chapel at Windsor above my stall, which I will have for life.

‘‘When I went to see the people I had a list of all the elements that I would like included in the shield, and they said ‘that’s wonderful, we’ve never had anybody come so well prepared, but what about your motto?’ and I said ‘Oh, I didn’t think about that’. On the plane coming home I remembered our school motto which was ‘Cum Flacco civitate donatus erat’ - which means, With Courage and Courtesy.

‘‘ I rang the headmaster (Simon Harper of Portadown College) to see if he would be agreeable to me using it and he was delighted.’’

Sadly, Mr Harper died last month, but Mary adds: ‘‘I was delighted that he gave me permission, so his memory will live on in St George’s Chapel.’’

And when she returns, there is another important date in Mary’s diary - her birthday.

Although, her actual birthday is on July 6, a gala ball will be held at Titanic Belfast on May 31 to celebrate the occasion.

‘‘We decided that everybody would be away in July, because it’s near the Twelfth holidays, so they brought it forward, so it’s not going to interfere too much with school exams and people in competition. We want some of our sportspeople there that we have supported.’’

The Mary Peters Trust has a glittering roll call of famous alumni including Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell, Jonathan Rea, Carl Frampton, Paddy Barnes and more, so who knows how many will turn up on the evening? Mary has asked the organisers not to tell her.

‘‘I want to be surprised. I’d imagine there will be some music and entertainment, but I can’t give you details because I’ve asked them not to tell me,’’ she laughs.

However, she is hoping on the night to hear good news about her Trust’s Race to a Million fundraising campaign, which aims to hit a £1 million target to help support young sportspeople.

‘‘I said when I reached my 80th birthday I don’t want to be out collecting money anymore, I’ve done it for all these years. I think it’s time to sit back and do my quilting and my knitting, and enjoy my garden and my friends.’’

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