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British Olympic heroes to get London parade

03/10/2008

The Olympians who returned Great Britain's best medal haul for a century at the recent Beijing Games are to participate in a parade through London later this month.

Team GB brought back 47 medals from China - 19 of which were gold - and finished fourth in the overall table, making the Games the most successful since the 1908 event in London.

And to commemorate the achievements of the team and the individuals involved, a lunchtime parade has been organised that will see the majority of the athletes travel on a series of floats through the centre of the capital on Thursday October 16th.

The British Olympic Association (BOA) said it has extended invitations to every athlete that competed in Beijing, although it is not expected that all 313 will be able to attend.

However, Mayor of London Boris Johnson said the parade was just reward for all of the team's "brilliant performances".

"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," he added.

Team GB's Chef de Mission Simon Clegg said: "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."

Among the top performers at the summer Games was 400m champion and London native Christine Ohuruogu, who won an unexpected gold medal just one year after returning to competitive sport.

She said: "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 October 16th."

Beginning in front of the Mansion House in the City of London at 11:00 BST, the parade will proceed down Great Victoria Street, past St Paul's Cathedral, down Fleet Street past the Royal Courts of Justice and then down the Strand.

The roads will be closed to traffic and cordons will be set up to allow members of the public to attend.

The first float is due to arrive in Trafalgar Square at around 12:30 BST, with the athletes due to assemble on the north terrace overlooking the square approximately 45 minutes later for a further three-quarters of an hour.

The move mirrors a similar parade following the return of the 2004 Athens Olympic and Paralympic teams and is expected to drum up support for the 2012 event, which will be held in Stratford in the east of the capital.