Olympic and Paralympic Heroes London Parade

[divingbrit]

Following their enormous success in Beijing this summer, Britain's Olympic and Paralympic athletes will take part in a heroes parade through the streets of London on Thursday 16 October. All the athletes that went to Beijing have been invited and it will be the first time so many of them will have been able to come together since their return.

The parade is due to begin in front of the Mansion House in the City at 11am. Athletes will travel on a series of floats, on a journey that will take them down Great Victoria Street and past St Paul's Cathedral. They will head down Fleet Street, past the Royal Courts of Justice and down the Strand. The public will be able to cheer on the athletes as they pass by.

The first float is due to arrive in Trafalgar Square at around 12:30pm, when lunchtime crowds are expected to gather to cheer on the sporting heroes, who have amassed the biggest medal haul for one hundred years.

The athletes are due to assemble on the north terrace overlooking the square at approximately 1.15pm, with proceedings expected to have been finished by 2pm.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson says: 'Our Olympic and Paralympic athletes put in an absolutely brilliant performance in Beijing, bringing us all pride in their great achievement and renewing our confidence for 2012. The parade is the first time so many will have come together in public since Beijing, so let's give them a big thank you and cheer them on as they travel through the streets of London.'

Team GB Chef de Mission Simon Clegg says: "The parade provides an excellent opportunity for Team GB members to thank the British public for their support during the Olympic Games. It is going to be a memorable day for everyone involved with Team GB as we celebrate the outstanding success of our athletes in Beijing."

Olympic 400m Champion Christine Ohuruogu says: "It's great to come back from the Olympic Games and see how much Team GB's success has been enjoyed by the public. I am looking forward to celebrating with everyone in my home city of London during the parade on 16th October."

Track cycling Olympic gold medalist Rebecca Romero says: "I remember the excitement of the parade in 2004 after the Athens Olympic Games and I'm looking forward to this one, which will no doubt be even bigger and better!"

The Olympic and Paralympic Heroes parade is proudly supported by Visa, BT, Lloyds TSB and BP.

All timings are approximate and details are subject to change. Route information is available at www.london.gov.uk .

BOA.co.uk

[richard]

Remembering Beijing
By Peter Scrivener

You'll get the chance to welcome Britain's Olympic and Paralympic heroes home when they parade through London this Thursday, 16 October.

There have been other parades, like the one in Edinburgh for the Scottish medal winners from Team GB, while Rebecca Adlington enjoyed her own open-top bus tour of Mansfield

But the London procession will be the first time the entire British team gets back together, and around 500 athletes are expected to travel on 10 flat-bed trucks

Out of all those athletes, how do you pick your favourite British performance from a summer of success in Beijing?


Source
By Peter Scrivener
BBC SPORT