Post by Taxigirl on Oct 18, 2004 9:33:12 GMT
news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/front_page/3746302.stm
Watch the Parade of Heroes live on BBC ONE from 1335 BST
Great Britain's Olympic and Paralympic athletes will round off their summer celebrations with a parade through central London on Monday.
The procession is set to feature at least 47 Olympic medallists, including double gold-winning athlete Kelly Holmes, and 37 Paralympic athletes.
The sports stars will don their medals as they travel along the route in five sports-themed floats.
It begins on Piccadilly at 1330 BST and ends in Trafalgar Square at about 1515.
Thousands of fans are expected to line the route through Piccadilly Circus, the Haymarket and Pall Mall and on into Trafalgar Square.
Pictures of the parade will be beamed back to large screens in the square which is the hub of the celebration.
With London still in the running to stage the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, it is hoped the parade will help drum up more support for the bid.
"The day is very much about 2004 and celebrating the huge successes of both the Olympic and Paralympic teams in Athens," said Simon Clegg, chief executive of the British Olympic Association.
GOLD MEDALLISTS ON PARADE
Kelly Holmes (800m & 1500m)
Darren Campbell, Marlon Devonish, Christian Malcolm (men's 4x100m sprint relay)
Chris Hoy (1km cycling time trial)
Leslie Law (Individual eventing)
Ed Coode, James Cracknell, Matthew Pinsent, Steve Williams (Men's coxless fours)
Sarah Ayton, Shirley Robertson, Sarah Webb (Sailing Yngling class)
"But of course it will send a very important message to the international sporting community that we love celebrating sporting success in this country."
Organisers have been criticised for holding the parade nearly two months after the Games, but a week before school half-term when more children would be able to attend.
But Clegg told BBC Radio Five Live: "We've had a real challenge pulling together the medallists' diaries, never mind anyone else's.
"We wanted to do it in September but neither Kelly Holmes nor Matthew Pinsent could make the date we picked.
"But I think it's going to be fantastic. People should turn out and celebrate British sporting success."
Upon their arrival in Trafalgar Square, some of the medal winners will be interviewed by BBC Sport presenters.
They then head to a special reception with the Queen at Buckingham Palace, where a medal ceremony will also be held for members of the equestrian and cycling teams.
It follows successful appeals by the British Olympic Association against controversial decisions.
Among them, Leslie Law will receive his three-day eventing gold medal which he won after Germany's Bettina Hoy was penalised for a timing mistake.
Team GB returned home from the Olympics with 30 medals - nine of them gold.
It was the best medal haul by Britain since the 1984 Los Angeles Games which were boycotted by the Eastern Bloc.
Monday's parade presents the first chance to revel in the success of Britain's Paralympic stars as well as the achievements of the Olympic medallists.
In September, the British Paralympic squad also came back from Greece with plenty to show for their endeavours.
Britain climbed to second place in the overall medal table behind China, with a haul of 94 medals, including 35 golds.
Double gold medallist Tanni Grey Thompson became Britain's most successful Paralympian in Athens after taking her after tally to 11.
However, the Welsh athlete will not be able to take part in Monday's parade because she is involved in a fundraising event for children in India.
Watch the Parade of Heroes live on BBC ONE from 1335 BST
Great Britain's Olympic and Paralympic athletes will round off their summer celebrations with a parade through central London on Monday.
The procession is set to feature at least 47 Olympic medallists, including double gold-winning athlete Kelly Holmes, and 37 Paralympic athletes.
The sports stars will don their medals as they travel along the route in five sports-themed floats.
It begins on Piccadilly at 1330 BST and ends in Trafalgar Square at about 1515.
Thousands of fans are expected to line the route through Piccadilly Circus, the Haymarket and Pall Mall and on into Trafalgar Square.
Pictures of the parade will be beamed back to large screens in the square which is the hub of the celebration.
With London still in the running to stage the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, it is hoped the parade will help drum up more support for the bid.
"The day is very much about 2004 and celebrating the huge successes of both the Olympic and Paralympic teams in Athens," said Simon Clegg, chief executive of the British Olympic Association.
GOLD MEDALLISTS ON PARADE
Kelly Holmes (800m & 1500m)
Darren Campbell, Marlon Devonish, Christian Malcolm (men's 4x100m sprint relay)
Chris Hoy (1km cycling time trial)
Leslie Law (Individual eventing)
Ed Coode, James Cracknell, Matthew Pinsent, Steve Williams (Men's coxless fours)
Sarah Ayton, Shirley Robertson, Sarah Webb (Sailing Yngling class)
"But of course it will send a very important message to the international sporting community that we love celebrating sporting success in this country."
Organisers have been criticised for holding the parade nearly two months after the Games, but a week before school half-term when more children would be able to attend.
But Clegg told BBC Radio Five Live: "We've had a real challenge pulling together the medallists' diaries, never mind anyone else's.
"We wanted to do it in September but neither Kelly Holmes nor Matthew Pinsent could make the date we picked.
"But I think it's going to be fantastic. People should turn out and celebrate British sporting success."
Upon their arrival in Trafalgar Square, some of the medal winners will be interviewed by BBC Sport presenters.
They then head to a special reception with the Queen at Buckingham Palace, where a medal ceremony will also be held for members of the equestrian and cycling teams.
It follows successful appeals by the British Olympic Association against controversial decisions.
Among them, Leslie Law will receive his three-day eventing gold medal which he won after Germany's Bettina Hoy was penalised for a timing mistake.
Team GB returned home from the Olympics with 30 medals - nine of them gold.
It was the best medal haul by Britain since the 1984 Los Angeles Games which were boycotted by the Eastern Bloc.
Monday's parade presents the first chance to revel in the success of Britain's Paralympic stars as well as the achievements of the Olympic medallists.
In September, the British Paralympic squad also came back from Greece with plenty to show for their endeavours.
Britain climbed to second place in the overall medal table behind China, with a haul of 94 medals, including 35 golds.
Double gold medallist Tanni Grey Thompson became Britain's most successful Paralympian in Athens after taking her after tally to 11.
However, the Welsh athlete will not be able to take part in Monday's parade because she is involved in a fundraising event for children in India.