Our Greatest Team: Athletes' Parade Live

Wonderful hearing that and seeing those titles once more. The action

is all over now at the Olympic Park but there's still one big final

celebration to be had today on the streets of London. Hello, everyone.

It's good to be back. Welcome to the Athletes' Victory Parade. With

the Games now officially over, the pride of Team GB and Paralympics GB

will make their way from the heart of the city in a few minutes' time,

ending here in a grand finale outside Buckingham Palace. Friends,

family, VIPs, and volunteers have been invited and are already

arriving here to grab the best positions. And in fact, crowds are

already filling up Trafalgar Square, which is going to be one of the

best places to catch a glimpse of their sporting heroes and to salute

them for their part in London 2012. Against the best athletes in the

world, Team GB won 65 medals, 29 of them gold, and finished an

impressive third in the medal table. For the paragon paeans - 34 gold

medals with a total medal haul of 120. A truly magical summer of

sporting achievement. -- for the Carolyn peons. -- Paralympians.

every athlete waiting, ready to take part in these Games, welcome

to London. There is no such thing as a standard run-of-the-mill human

beings but we share the same human spirit. She has destroyed Harome

world record and won gold again. For creativity can take many forms

from physical achievement to theoretical physics. What we are

seeing right now is that dreams do come true. There is a truth to

sport, a purity, a drama, and intensity. The spirit that makes it

irresistible to take part in and irresistible to watch. London 2012

will inspire a generation. Is it enough? Yes, it is for Sarah Storey.

In every Olympic sport, there is everything that matters in life.

Humans stretched to the limit of their abilities, living for the

moment but making an indelible mark on history. The champion becomes a

legend. The Games provide an opportunity for afraid to excel and

become outstanding in their field. My fellow countrymen, I say thank

you, thank you for making this possible. Jessica Ennis is the

Olympic champion, best all-round athlete in the world. I have never

been so proud to be British and to be part of the Olympic movement.

This is our time. One day we will tell our children and our

grandchildren that when our time came, we did it right. Let's

celebrate excellence, friendship and respect. Good luck to you.

Incredible memories and well be reliving all those amazing moments

with the athletes and their friends and families throughout the next

two and a half hours. We've got Olympic silver medallist Colin

Jackson in the studio with us. Colin, what's your favourite

memory? I think I already know. are absolutely right. This is no

Farah's 10,000m. I lost my voice courtesy of this performance.

you had another one to do a week later. We will see so many of the

stars over the next few hours, but it is wonderful to see the crowds

packing the streets and the support has been immense. It has. From the

torch relay itself, when so many people turned up just to see the

cauldron that, and now to see the success of the team and giving them

a final wave goodbye. A final thank you. Now the parade is just about

to start. We've got reporters out all along the route but guiding us

through this afternoon in the commentary box are Huw Edwards,

Hazel Irvine and eleven-time Paralympic gold medallist, Tanni

Grey-Thompson. Thank you, Gabby. It is the final

chapter in the story of London 2012. We are in the heart of the city of

London, that is the official residence of the mayor. We can pay

tribute to the stars of the Games, more than 700 athletes will be

taking part in the parade today, riding on twenty-one floats past St

Paul's Cathedral where quite a considerable crowd has already

gathered. We are looking forward to a splendid afternoon, a fitting end

to what has been a wonderful summer. With me, Tanni Grey Thompson and

Hazel Irvine. What are you looking forward to? A massive celebration,

for the athletes to say thank you. Without their friends, family, and

volunteers, this couldn't have happened. Hazel, we are just

waiting for the initial flourish, the initial trumpet fanfare at the

Mansion House, and just a sense of what you are looking forward to.

Today's is the last hurrah, a chance to celebrate their

sensational achievements over the summer and to acknowledge what they

have done in the theatre of sport and what they have done for

everyone around Great Britain and Northern Ireland. That negativity

that some people felt has been replaced by pride and soaring

enthusiasm, and admiration for the can-do spirit that London 2012

organisers have shown everyone is capable of in this country.

parade will begin very shortly. John and Sonali are here.

There are 21 floats lined up, featuring the athlete who have

entertained us so regally, and we are on the athletics float.

streets are lined all the way down. This is the first time Team GB have

got together like this since the end of the Olympics, but

Paralympics GB, because the ceremony only ended 48 hours ago,

there have been some very bleary- eyed athletes. We will be

interviewing as many medalists as possible. Excuse me, can you hang

on to this please? It is the Mobot! He has given me his job here.

have the lord mayor of the city of London surrounded by some of the

state trumpeters, who are ready to sound a fanfare, and some people

waiting patiently, and just a few of them in a vested interest in the

success of this afternoon's events. That is Jody Cundy who had a

controversial Paralympic Games, with the glasses on his head. He

came away with a medal, not the gold medal he wanted but a lot of

people admired the way he conducted himself in the end in the Velodrome.

Standing by, a magnificent livery of the state trumpeters of the Life

Guards and they have been chosen for this, today. Look at Le crowd,

dominating this part of the crossroads in the city of London,

the Royal Exchange, and mansion house itself. We can see the

western flank of the Bank of England. It is Princes Street, past

the familiar: Switch receipt on the news so often, and up to the Royal

Exchange here on the left-hand side, round to the mansion house itself.

What we can expect this afternoon - Katherine Grainger there, enjoying

the event already and it is not even under way yet. They will have

to hold on to those railings as the event progresses, at two mph.

is an a Anna Watkins and Catherine the Great as they are calling her.

A lot of shirts and ties out there. John had a dig it people who should

be sorting out the economy, maybe the bankers do deserve a lunch

break, enjoying what is a very special event today. For the people

watching at home today or round the UK, the nice thing about this

summer is that it has been a you can -- a UK wide Games. Yes, there

are athletes from every part of the country that has contributed

towards the medals success. One of the great things that came out of

the Paralympics was this huge crowds. We didn't expect those

numbers and their athletes will be so pleased to see it completely

packed. 20, 30 yards in little alleyways, people are coming out to

support the athlete and that means a lot. Life as an athlete is pretty

boring, you spend your whole life training and your family put up

with so much from you. Some of them will be back in training next week.

In fact some of them already under way. We saw Bradley Wiggins and

Mark Cavendish taking part in cycling. So many athletes will be

crammed on to these 21 floats. Before the Games, many opted not to

take part to conserve their energy, so this is a chance to see more

than 90% of the medal winners. Some are already back in competition,

and we wish won gold medallists - Andy Murray, the very best tonight

at the US Open tennis final. certainly do, and a magnificent

scene, where we can see the geographical layout of this part of

the city of London. People lining the route up towards St Paul's

Cathedral and waiting for the parade to begin, which should be

within the next few minutes. know you have joined the pantheon

of sporting greats when you only need to have one name and we know

who people are talking about. Hello! What are your impressions of

this? For it is unbelievable, the amount of people who have come out

here to support. I have great memories of the Games, but to see

this, the crowd for me personally, without them I wouldn't have

achieved what I achieved. Two gold medals and two children within the

space of a week - how would you compare the emotions? Very

different, but it has been unbelievable. I managed to give

them one of beach which is the important thing. I haven't had much

sleep. What about your postboxes - have you got two? At the one in

Teddington is my local one, and the other day I was driving past and

literally turning round the corner, opened the window of my car and did

the Mobot. There was a kid with her mum and her mum was holding on to

her on top up the post box. She saw No better way to get this parade

under way, listening to Mo Farah, sharing his enthusiasm as the

trumpeters signalled that the first floats are on the move.

We caught a glimpse a short while ago of the very stylish head of

this parade, because we have got some performers from the dancing

group, and we will be seeing more of those. While we are talking

about Mo, we should congratulate Mo and his wife, the two children John

was referring to, twin girls. There indeed is Mo. Clearly, good things

continue to happen to the Farah family on Saturdays!

I think they're going to call them the Mo-tots, by the way. This great

parade to celebrate London 2012 is under way. There we have our first

proper glimpse of the dancing lions. They will be leading the way,

behind, of course, the outriders and the horses of the Metropolitan

Police. A good moment there to reflect on the contribution they've

made to the security and smooth running of the Games during the

month of August. They will be at the head of this

section. Tom Daley clearly enjoying himself.

I think it's fair to say that this is the kind of pace we can look

forward to, a gentle, 2mph to get us to Buckingham Palace within

about 90 minutes. We see some of our three day eventers. There is Mo

again. You are right, after the furious pace of the Olympics 2mph

is just about fair. It gives the crowd a chance as well. Really all

these people have turned out to get a good look. Some of them will not

have been to the Olympic Park, they will not have been to the venues

themselves. So it's their first chance to see some of these Olympic

stars in the flesh and that's something they really want to do.

The crowd is extraordinary. I don't know why we should be surprised,

after the amazing numbers of people that we have seen over the last few

weeks, something like 12 million ticket holders from both Games. 2.7

million attended the Paralympics and 34 venues around the United

Kingdom all absolutely jam-packed. There is Johnny Peacock. He

silenced the crowd almost, he held his fingers to his lips and

immediately there was silence. was authority. Really that was a

sense of the crowd wanting to give him every chance and every

advantage and yes, the impact on the crowd was dramatic, wasn't it?

When he won the crowd was chanting. Mike said in all the Olympics, he

had not heard that level of support. That was Thriller Thursday they

were calling it, with David Weir and Hannah Cockroft as well, two

gold medals in the wheelchair events and she was such a dominant

force in that wheelchair racing. Back to float number one. Bear with

us, we will dip into lots of sections of the parade as we go

along. There are 21 floats. They're arranged alphabetically. We caught

a glimpse of float number 10. Now we are back to number one. We will

be able to spot lots of stars. There is one, Nicola Adams, the

first women boxing champion after that amazing day at ExCel Centre

with Katy Taylor of Ireland taking gold in the next fight. Those who

were there will always remember that day. The Joyce they generated

-- noise they Joan rated I think could be heard in every part of the

United Kingdom. Steph Reid there. She competed in the long jump.

Another glimpse of a precious medal. Worn there by Johnny Peacock.

Trained by Dan, who trained Greg Rutherford, as well. It's been a

wonderful day indeed for all these athletes and that's the first gold

medal in canoe slalom. Wonderful to see them relax and soaking up the

applause of the crowd here. This is just the start, Hazel. The

crowds are going to get bigger as you get to Trafalgar Square. Vicky

Pendleton wearing her gold and silver medals. We understand,

whisper it, Strictly Come Dancing might be next. You never know.

This post-Games parade is a tradition. It started after the

2004 Athens Games and I think it's anticipated by organisers here to

be perhaps one of the greatest national celebrations in the

capital in modern times. Clearly we had the Queen's Diamond Jubilee,

the Olympic torch relay, but this could be set to exceed records. I

mentioned Greg Rutherford, there he is. There are four athletics floats.

That astonishing Saturday night. That really kicked off the party,

didn't it? There is Tom once again. It's a great two-way process at

this point, because lots of photos being taken on either side. Because

they want to record the experience. They want to record the fact that

this is a great final chapter in this wonderful summer. Tom's very

popular. He shouldered so much anticipation and pressure. He was

the poster boy, if you like of the Games. I did read Plymouth Argyle

owner has paid for all post boxes to be painted gold and bronze in

honour of Tom. There is Gemma Gibbons. Apparently they're going

to be situated outside Home Park in Plymouth but you can only use them

to post messages of congratulations to them. We have just seen the

equestrian float go past with Lee Pearson. And Natasha Baker and

Sophie Christianson. An amazing performance for the team of

equestrian. Just to explain the stage of the parade for you now,

and we will enjoy lots more of the scenes as we go along. The first

floats are still passing through that square in front of the Mansion

House and the Bank of England. They're making their way gently

down towards Cannon Street and Queen Victoria Street to St Paul's.

Our job today brings a new meaning to the term talent-spotting,

doesn't it? There's plenty of it on show. Unprecedented success for

Team GB and of course Paralympics GB as well. The most number of

medals ever won in the Paralympics by Paralympics GB and unpress

departmented success -- unprecedented success. We see the

Brownlee brothers, one Yorkshire family winning gold and bronze.

There he is, the main man, Sir Chris Hoy. He is sporting two gold

medals which he claimed in the team sprint and the keirin bringing his

overall tally to six and the one silver, don't forget that. Surely

one of the most memorable sequences, not just because of his formidable

achievements but wonderful images of his parents watching that

triumph, barely able to watch. has put them through the mill,

David and Carole. It was worth it. I don't think they're complaining,

though! I do hear, Huw, that Sir Chris will be honoured as a Freeman

of the City of of -- Edinburgh and The Lord Mayor of the City of

London, surrounded by members of the City of London Corporation,

Port of Alderman. These are the Boydy -- bodies in charge of the

administration of the City of London. Lots of them have been in

existence for centuries. They are wishing the teams well as they make

their way along. That's Josie Pearson. It's one of the Welsh gold

medals. She She is now competing in field events.

The parade is looking fantastic. The crowds, why would we ever doubt

they would not be ten-deep? The support has been immense. I am

delighted to say that Lord Coe, somehow has summoned the energy for

one last day. Cow sleep for a year for tomorrow. This is a a fitting

end and a wonderful end. Isn't it it lovely. Has there ban moment in

the last seven, eight, nine years where you have thought the cynicism,

the worries about security, the worries about all the kind of extra

periphery things that go on, you thought might be right? The honest

answer is no, I never doubted it because the people that have helped

us do this have been proud and passionate and it doesn't matter

where they live, whether it's in northern Scotland or Cornwall.

People have got this. You are right, we wouldn't doubt that they would

be out ten-deep today. They were out ten-deep after we came back

from Beijing. That didn't even take place in our own backward. -- back

yard. 15 million people have watched the torch. We get it.

Paralympics has been a magnificent success and it really has, as you

say, the attitudes of people watching has changed dramatically

the way we look at anybody with a disability and the performances

were so incredible. How do you think that will man test itself --

manifest itself going forward? don't think we are ever going to

see sport the same way in this country again. I certainly don't

think we are going to view disability. I quoted one of our

Games-makers last night in the closing remarks, Emily, a second

year student in east London, wheelchair basketball player, was

committed enough to want to help at wheelchair fencing and she came out

with a lovely statement. She said to me, it's lifted the cloud of

limitation. The story isn't anywhere near complete. I am not

sad today because I think the best - if I am being honest, I think the

best stuff lies ahead now. Let's bring it on to the legacy, Colin,

you were there seven years ago in Singapore and that was one of the

key elements to that bid, it was about going forward. When we were

in Singapore and talking about the bid and going through it and you

yourself were really passionate about the legacy side of it, can

you explain what it really means to you? I have a rough idea, but what

does it mean to you? Originally it meant to winning trite stage the

Games. -- the right to stage the Games. The first legacy is the

delivery of two great Games and I am not marking our own homework

today but I think we have pretty much delivered on that. We said we

wanted to use the Games to transform east London, I don't

think anybody could seriously question that. We wanted primarily

to get more young people in sport. That will always be the bigger

challenge. But my goodness, you know, you tell me a time in the

history of this country where we have had a better opportunity to do

that than starting right here today celebrating the best athletes that

have ever put on a British shirt? Indeed they have and that brings us

on to honours. Should every athlete with a medal automatically then get

a gong? That's a challenging question, because I chair a

committee. What's been agreed is that there will be a separate list

which is right. These are the decisions, these are discussions

that will still take place but clearly it's a massive - there is a

massive celebration and how do you distinguish between anybody that

has hit the heights in the last few weeks? Let alone work out who is on

the... Rome was only built in a day! What are you going to be doing

in a year's time? I have no idea. Really. I can't tell you that.

sitting next to you now and I know you for a long time. You really

seem proud. Have you - try and explain the sense of pride that you

are really just showing. I am incredibly proud. I am incredibly

proud to have witnessed what a nation with pride and passion and

purpose and partnership has achieved. I don't want to get

overly romantic about it but can you imagine if we - one of the

legacies that we have to drive forward is the partnerships that

have been created around the delivery of the Olympic and

Paralympic Games, not just in London but in every town, village,

city, even hamlet in the UK. Keep that pride, keep that passion.

Let's start challenging some of the other things that we thought we

would never be able to do. Keep the togetherness and smiles on our

faces as well and that sense of achievement that doing this

together together, this is what you can do. The parade goes on and Huw

will tell us where we are up to, no We are reaching the area of St

Paul's Cathedral, leading on to Trafalgar Square, where there will

be an enormous crowd waiting. A very strong message from Sebastian

Coe talking about legacy, underlining the fact that this is a

very real thing with gym clubs and all sorts of sporting organisations

across the country reflecting a surge of interest. There has been a

massive surge of interest and one of the challengers is that no other

city talked about legacy before the Games started. We talked about the

bid to unlock we wanted the Games to bring, and it is about changing

the culture of sports participation. The elite side matters, but it is

also about encouraging people to be fit and healthy and the elite side

comes out of that. This inspires hundreds of thousands of people to

think differently about how they participate. A as the parade slowly

makes its way along this famous route which is used in so many

ceremonial occasions along the years, let's have a reflection on

some of the big Paralympic names and their efforts and achievements.

On super Saturday Great Britain won six gold medals in that other-

worldly evening in east London. We can see Rebecca Adlington going

past on the float. Then we marvelled at the Paralympic gold

medals from John Lee Peacock, Hannah Cockroft, David Weir and

Richard the Lionheart. We can see Ellie Simmonds here. The Olympic

Stadium was chock-a-block every day Finishing with a flourish. David

Weir, we salute you. If Christine Ohuruogu,, a sterling effort to get

the silver medal. Very good indeed from Robbie Grabarz. The margin of

the victory is massive, it is like watching Usain Bolt. Peacock takes

Greg Rutherford is the Olympic champion. Jessica Ennis is the best

all-round athlete in the world. Mo Farah at his kicking hard, has he

got enough? He is going for it. Mo Farah for Great Britain - it is

cold! -- gold! This man of his superhuman, David Weir. What a

remarkable 11 days in your life. hasn't sunk in yet. I need to go

home, spend some time with my family, watch my races back and

look back at what I have done and what I have achieved. I need to

look at my Twitter feet and Facebook and everything else, all

of these messages saying I am this and that, soon be human, and

amazing. Some people are saying my 1500 was the best race they have

seen in their life and it was a great honour to be in the stadium,

and when you read things like that it is unbelievable. When I picked

up the paper on the train this more page headline said "Weir on the

beer", I hope you got one last night. I had a few with team-mates

after the closing ceremony because I have not celebrated with them so

it was nice. Let me bring somebody else on this particular float who

you might recognise - Jessica, this is the end of an extraordinary year

for you. It has been an incredible year, ending it on this massive

hike in London with an amazing team, with this crowd for one last time

has been incredible. You have had a few weeks to reflect. Are you most

proud that in the run-up to the Games when you could have been

deflected by being the poster girl of the Games, you never lost your

focus and the thing that mattered the most was winning the gold medal.

That was most important to me and I tried so hard to not be distracted,

to focus on my training and I knew that if I did that I would put

myself in the best position possible. It is the most amazing

feeling to know that I pulled that together and I did it and I am just

enjoying every minute now. Have you been here a track since? Yesterday

with my training partner Louise, and we did a few runs just to keep

the body ticking over. Otherwise I have been relaxing and enjoying

life. It is difficult to some more how the parents feel of any of

these athletes but perhaps I am not exaggerating to say the proudest

parents have got to be Jessica Ennis's parents. What has it been

like? The whole summer has been brilliant. We have really enjoyed

everything about it. The what has it been like for her since winning?

It's there was a lot of pressure on her but now she's back down to

earth and loving it, enjoying everything. A Alison, what has it

been like for you? Presumably everyone you know has been ringing

your phone to say well done? It is quiet for a bit, then you bump into

someone you haven't saying and it starts all over again. She has done

well, she has done us prowled. well? She has done better than that.

Yes, she has had a little holiday with her fiance, she's back now,

and she's getting ready to go back to training now and start again.

How was it for you watching her when she's competing? It is awful.

The hurdles are the worst thing for me because I know it can end. One

mistake and it is all over. A nervous time but it has been

exciting. What does today mean to you? It is a celebration of the

whole Olympics and Paralympics, it has been fantastic. I know

everybody here has enjoyed every minute and it has been great to

enjoy the crowd and the athlete. missed Beijing, but here we are in

London. Let me say on behalf of everyone, well done to you because

I know what parents go through as well. Thank you. Matthew Pinsent,

asking the questions. A man who put his parents through the male as

well in the last few years. Jessica Ennis is now a Freeman of the city

of Sheffield, she has had a stand at Bramall Lane named after her.

Her postbox is right next to Sheffield City Hall, round the

corner from the Crucible, and I will make sure I popped a letter in

there when we are back for the World Championships. There is no

further, doing the Mobot to his adoring fans. These are the members

of the archery team lining up. What a magnificent scene - St

Paul's Cathedral, having been cleaned, looking magnificent, and

there we have the dancing lions leading the way with the marching

band. 40 members of that band providing a lot of entertainment,

and signalling to the crowds ahead with their music and dance that the

parade is approaching. There you have the gentle slope down the hill

towards Fleet Street itself. There is the inimitable Lee Pearson from

the Paralympics dressage - a gold, silver and bronze, one shy of Tanni

Grey Thompson's joint record of 11. I am hoping he will do another four

years, he really deserves this. There is a wonderful photograph of

Jessica Ennis and Richard Whitehead. He is an incredible athlete.

Richard Whitehead's 200m was the moment of the Paralympics for me,

it was extraordinary. That salute emulating his hero Chris Hoy,

This is the second section of the parade here. Moving on, and now

moving along swiftly to catch up with some of the midway floats,

number 13 of 21 just approaching St Paul's. Ice saw Tom Aggar in the

background there. -- I saw. This is the official national parade in the

city, but over the last few days I'm sure you've all been aware on

local radio and news and reading in the different local papers, a lot

of that Paralympians will be experiencing that as we see these

gamesmakers and the contribution they have made, but I think there

has been a bunfight as to the amount of gold and postboxes, 90

that the last count. The postboxes have been saying please leave the

painting to us! There is Jonathan Fox with his gold medal. You can

just see Nick Dempsey with this sunglasses on after his silver

medal in the wind surfing. Windsurfing will not be included in

the Rio Games and he might try his hand at the event that will replace

it, and that his kite -- is kite surfing. The most successful

Olympic sailor in the world, Ben Ainslie. On days like these, does

it make you think I could go to Rio? If it is for inspiring stuff.

-- it is for awe-inspiring. I just need to get through this. Royal

Mail had to give in and give you two postboxes because one of your

fans got arrested for spray- painting one. Yes, back home in

Lymington, one of the locals took it upon himself to get involved. He

got into trouble, but everyone was great. The whole nation has been so

proud of every one of the athletes and it is very proud for the whole

nation. Howl is Rita - that is not his girlfriend, it is his boat! You

have four Olympic gold medals, you want to go on and win the America's

Cup, how was that coming on? I came back from the States yesterday and

that is what I have been focused on. It is a long way off, but that is

the next goal. I can do that and then come back to the UK.

certainly don't do things by halves. That is a major international

sporting trophy. At the oldest sporting trophy in the world and

probably the only one we have never won so it is about time we changed

that. Ben Ainslie, modest and enthusiastic, the man who was

famously made angry during the Games and that led to big things.

Don't make him angry! That battle against the great Dane, Hough

Christiansen, and he became the greatest sailor in Olympic history.

And with more plans to come, which is the astonishing thing. Indeed,

and after carrying the flag in the closing ceremony he said at the

time the sport was wrecking his body, he probably wouldn't go

forward to Rio, but now he said he That's the table tennis float going

past. It's been a really good performance for table tennis, I

think they performed above their expectation. We are all here

sharing in the ep thaous afpl for the stars who have won medals, but

for lots of people, of course, these people deserve medals too.

They are what we call the Games- makers for thousands of volunteers

who helped make it happen, Hassle. There are 14,000 who have been

given ringside seats here along the Mall and into the actual area where

the finale of this will take place. They've been given the best tickets

with soldiers, ceremony performers, emergency service personnel and

some London school kids, and quite rightly, they'll get the best

places to stand and watch and the best seats. There is a special

section along the Mall that's reserved for the Games-makers.

They're all here. Very quiet, as usual! This is Abbey, Louise and

Annette. Where were you volunteering? Volunteering in the

park operational centre at the Olympic Park itself. And how was

the Games experience for you? Amazing. Absolutely incredible. It

was a chance in a lifetime and it was great to be part of it. Louise,

what do you think it is about volunteers that's made it so

special? We are a great bunch of people. We scream loudly, cheer

cloudly but also work loud as well and enjoy it. What was the

highlight for you. I saw the Weirwolf and Hurricane and Peacock

in the stadium. How do you sum up the Games experience to people who

were not here. It was awesome. It was great. It was good fun. We are

proud to be British. We are all proud of you. Say hello!

Quite right, too. A big applause for the Games-makers and I should

say as well it's not just those who were serving at the high profile

venues in the Olympic Park, we mean too those helping out at less

glamorous places, railway stations, bus stations, all kinds of places

where a welcome was needed where people needed help and they

performed brilliantly. Indeed and as I said at the closing ceremony,

70,000 at the Olympics alone on duty and 240,000 people volunteered

just to be part of it all. Incredible numbers. I hear that

some of the politicians are going to try, including Boris Johnson,

the mayor, to try and use these people and try and get them

involved in local sports groups, that's surely the way forward.

had to go through a number of days of training before they got to the

Games and I spoke to so many there who said we only volunteered for

the Olympics but we are going to come back for the Paralympics. They

worked long hours but it was amazing, there were rows of them.

It made everyone feel that they had a great day out. Why do you think

it's that people were so surprised by the contribution made by the

Games-makers, maybe people's expectations weren't as high but

really the thrill and enthusiasm of dealing with them as being one of

the prime features of the Games, Tanni? I think the Games-makers

were made to feel welcome and what their role was going to be. They

knew they weren't going to be on 100 metre startline, when they got

the jobs they were excited by it. I think they got little rewards along

the way. When they finished their sessions they got a series of

badges and it's amazing how proud they've been. I spoke to one last

night who said they're going to wear the top just out in the street

because they feel really proud they've been part of this amazing

spectacle. As this parade makes its way past the magnificent St Paul's

Cathedral and the crowds line the routes and I shall pose a question

what does Muhammad Ali, sugar Ray Leonard have in common with Nicola

Adams? They're all Olympic champions. Nicola said she was

going to celebrate with a visit to Nandos. Other fast-food restaurants

are available! Nicola is one of three gold medallists along with

Anthony Joshua and Luke Campbell. Boy, did these guys pack a punch in

the noisiest crowd of the lot at the ExCel centre?

COMMENTATOR: Here we go then. Fred Evans becomes the most

COMMENTATOR: Luke Campbell has done it again. A performance out of the

COMMENTATOR: The winner in the blue Nicola Adams has just phaetd

history -- made history. Nicola Adams is the Olympic champion.

On float number 5 boxing champions. Luke Campbell, this is an

extraordinary end to many years of hard work for you. Yeah, definitely.

It's a very proud moment. Something I have been working for my whole

life and achieving the goal and just the full nation getting behind

us, it's so overwhelming. I am so proud to be from Great Britain.

must ask, we did a documentary together for BBC North a year ago

now and went to your home and your grandpha was saying I am not going

to let him back in the house if he doesn't come home with gold. How

did she respond? She's so happy. I feel honoured that I can make my

family proud of me. She's really happy. Nice to see. Great stuff.

Nicola, gold medallist, she's actually not this tall she's

standing on a box. How are you doing? All right, how are you

doing? Really excited. I can't believe people have turned tout see

us, it's great. Have you had time since you won to think about the

impact that you have made. I am sure you are bored with people

saying you made history as the first woman gold medallist, has the

importance of what you did sunk in yet? Yeah, it's starting to sink in

now and it's an amazing achievement, not just for me but for Great

Britain. As a nation as well, and I think it's fantastic that I was

able to get that gold for my country. Have you had lots of

teenager girls saying I want to do what you did? Yeah, I have. On

Twitter and saying that you have inspired me to start boxing and

take up sport and that's fantastic. It's all about inspiring the next

generation. Anthony Joshua, the same size as you, actually. What's

going on with Nicki today? seems to have grown since she got

the gold medal. So many people over the years, whether it's Lennox

Lewis or Audley har Harrison, thought I must turn pro. What are

your plans. To be the best I can be, my concern is improvement and

future plans that will come in the future, but as for now, I want to

be a better fighter. How did you feel about being part of the final

chapter of the most remarkable Olympics of all? Unbelievable.

Things happened so quick and in a dramatic fashion all the way

through, it's only now it's sinking in to what I have achieved and I

thought I have another fight and if I Winnick become champion. To see

everyone out here enjoying it and coming together is bigger than what

I could believe. I want to say thank you to everyone out there.

She's bigger than we can believe as well. Thanks to the box. Nicola,

two happy gold medallists here. Huge crowds surging in Trafalgar

Square and here we have the Temple Bar Memorial, the marking point, if

you like of the limits, the western limit of the City of London. After

this they'll be passing the law courts and going on towards the

Adlwych and The Strand. Leading the way again the lions. A very, very

friendly atmosphere as we can see between the crowds and the mounted

police as they make their way along. It's lovely to see them high-fiving

spectators. One of my memories as I was leaving the other night was

seeing children high-fiving armed policemen. That will never happen

again. It was a brilliant atmosphere.

As we see the lions coming through the ranks of the spectators,

they're encroaching on to the roads here, it's a fantastic atmosphere.

As we hear the trumpets sounding, a quick word on Anthony Joshua and

Nicola Adams, because we have been talking about their future.

Anthony's definitely going to stay with GB amateur squad until his

contract runs out in March because it's a big question for them now.

Do they turn profession al, stayam staour? Nicola is going to go for

the double in Rio in 2016. A formal welcome into the City of

Westminster from the City of London. The fanfare tells us that the lead

section of the parade has now arrived at Westminster.

Passing the Law Courts there, on the left side, at the top end of

Fleet Street, one of the great thoroughfares of medieval London

and of course, once home to the British press. No longer. The spire

there in the background is St Dunstan in the west.

So making gentle progress towards Trafalgar Square itself.

After that, we will see the athletes themselves being welcomed

along the Mall and down towards Buckingham Palace where there will

be a special event happening that will be an hour-long event that

will include contributions by the Prime Minister and by the Mayor of

It's building all the time here and the Coldstream Guards are making

their way up on to the monument now and the music is rising. It's a

musical festival later on this afternoon. Sir Steve Redgrave is

here. Eight years ago you were involved in the torch procession

from Athens here. You were the last bearer of the torch. Has there been

a day since then, because that was a spectacle for the world, to say

we are serious about this bid, has there been a day that you haven't

thought about these Games? Definitely and even before that,

the four years leading up to that it was all special and we were

given the honour to have the athletes torch come in but yeah, we

did use it to our benefit and public public sizing what we could

do and I did the last leg from Buckingham Palace down the Mall and

up the ramp of the flowing water coming down, that was special. I

can remember running up it. There was little pools in there and the

practice I was tip-toeing on the way. There were people either side

and I was trying to put my foot down as hard as I could, to get

other people wet as well! This was by no means a done deal and that

final presentation in Singapore was the thing that swung it. The French

thought they were really in the lead. Paris were still favourites.

Going in to Singapore and I was out there on the presenting panel with

Seb and the team and I must say they've done a fantastic job. He

was here a few minutes ago, they've done an amazing job for the

Olympics and the Paralympics. Being there out in the panel and then

when it came to the announcement we were brought back into the hall.

Paris were one side, we were the other. I was sitting in the front

row in the corner. We had three photographers in front of us. Paris,

there were 50 photographers. The media always seem to find out

beforehand, whether it's a done deal. I knew one of the

photographers really well. I said, you are going to have the

photograph in the paper tomorrow. And And it was amazing. You have

been to plenty of Olympics between you. Why has this Olympic Games

universally been accepted as the greatest there has been so far and

every year, every time the benchmark Gaza higher because of

opening -- goes higher, because of opening and closing ceremonies.

Every performance they've all said this has been the greatest. I don't

think you can put a sort of - down to one element, it's almost every

element. Sydney was absolutely fantastic. There's 17 areas that

the IOC evaluate in the whole process. They were nines and tens,

maybe a few eights in every department. I think we are nine and

ten in all those departments, as well. But then when you come down

to numbers of spectators, the Games-makers, as well as the

athletes of doing their bit as well. It's fantastic when you have a home

team that's performing fantastically. It seems now just

that the Paralympics finishing last night, is this overshadowed what

the summer Games has been like, but it hasn't at all, it's just been

fantastic the whole way through. It's that team feel. There's no

ways we could could doubt that. Sometimes we forget that Britain

actually is a nation of sports people who love watching sports. We

are enthusiastic, passionate. We go out there and support as many

sports as we possibly can. To me it doesn't really surprise me that we

have the numbers of people that turned out here. And the volunteers

because we build our sporting heritage from grass roots sports,

volunteers who go to sports clubs and give up their time for nothing.

In your sport, rowing, I know there's been a huge picking up of

the phone of people saying how do I start? How do you make sure this

enthusiasm is translated to people This word legacy has been bandied

around for the last 12 years, but now it is about how we move forward.

Everyone has an idea of what they can put back to make sure the

momentum carries on. It is not a reason for stopping - we can keep

this ball rolling. When we look at the leads board, it is not how we

do in Rio, it is about how we do four years after that will be an

indication of London 2012. That is the one after that most people

struggle at after they have hosted the Olympic Games. There may be a

time now, people thinking that they have enjoyed being part of the

Olympic Games, watching, being a gamesmakers, thinking about what

can I bought? May be doing some coaching, maybe doing

administration, helping from that point. There are so many areas

sport needs in bringing the next generation through. Is it possible

to bring one moment? Your empathy and compassion with the rowers who

did not achieve what they wanted to achieve, their disappointment and

exhaustion, people like Zac Purchase. It is difficult pick out

one moment and I did what I felt needed to be done with the athletes

who were really struggling. They got pipped to the post, and they

lost to the crew that they beat four years earlier, and it should

have been the other way round. is those moments that made these

Games so special, a well of emotion that we dug into. We cried and

laughed, and thank you so much for providing so many of those moments.

Have a break now. I went away on holiday after the Games and I am

thinking about what I will do now. I went into the bidding process,

and now I am thinking what will I do? I'm 50 now! Now it can be the

comeback. I did mention that a Chris Hoy when he said he was

definitely going to retire and he has got more gold medals than me so

maybe I should come back. Let's calm down and go back to the parade.

Great to see Steve Redgrave, sharing his enthusiasm and pride at

what has been achieved. The parade making its way along Fleet Street,

this mid-section of that, towards the Strand. They have changed very

little in terms of their status in the buildings around. A lot of

significant marks along the way, and the crowd enjoying the vantage

points along the route. Nathan Duke blowing a quick kiss to the camera.

Sir Steve Redgrave mentioned Zac Purchase and his despair. Just a

couple of weeks after that, he married his fiancee in St Paul's

Cathedral and he said that was the day he got his gold. The old

romantic! Congratulations to them. I think it is worth also remarking,

we heard the discussion about Singapore and 2005 when London was

first award of these Games, but the roots go back 18 years ago in a

meeting on 12th June, 1994, when the idea was first mooted of an

Olympic Games in London. The whole project has been handled with such

vigour and passion, in such an assured and confident way, they

have done us prowled. And I remember people at the beginning

saying we will never win it, we will never build it on time, and

then gradually people started to believe it could happen. That

moment in Singapore, my memory of that his Denise Lewis body surfing

to the back at the crowd. We said whatever the outcome, can we stand

towards Paris and politely applaud them, and we missed it! If I

remember her climbing on the table, she denies that but there is

photographic evidence. The place that everybody from royalty to rock

stars wanted to be, arguably the hottest tickets in town were for

the Velodrome. They produced some of the most memorable moments and

images of both of the Games, 12 gold medals on the track, moments

that had us looking like babies. The likes of Chris Hoy, Laura Trott

and Victoria Pendleton, and the fearless Sarah Storey.

He smashes his own world record. Great Britain and now going to

become the Olympic champions. they come up to the line. It is a

new world record. It was a blistering quick move by Anthony

Kappes. Sarah Storey=the modern British Paralympic record with her

11th gold medal. Victoria Pendleton takes the gold medal. Bradley

Wiggins is the Olympic champion. Bradley Wiggins is addictive

because his competing today, so here is missing out. Chris Hoy,

words fail you sometimes, don't they? Four years ago I thought we

saw the best ever welcome for the athletes, but this tops it with

people climbing lamp-posts! They have given us energy and enthusiasm

and this is our chance to thank them. One group of people we should

thank, the gamesmakers. I can see them over there. Maybe it is a

chance for you to say thank you to them in particular. A volunteers,

the armed forces, the police and organisers, they have made these

Games and it is something to be proud of. Sarah Storey, everybody

showing off their medals. Some people thought in the hiatus

between the Olympics and the Paralympics they might be a

disappointment but far from it. the athletes stepped up, everything

stepped up a level. To have this amazing crowd, the amazing venues,

the incredible volunteers, we couldn't have asked for more.

Brown were you at the closing ceremony to realise you had been

part of something on that scale? proud, it was cold everywhere, a

sea of gold and it was amazing, I couldn't believe it. More and more

gold medals. Lovely to see you. I was with you a few weeks ago in

Sheffield with a bunch of kids, the next generation you were hoping to

inspire. How many people have come up to you and said I have got a

bike, I want to be a cyclist? and loads, and a lot of people on

Twitter have been saying they have bought bikes since the Olympics. It

is very exciting, I'm proud to be a part of it. Laura, let's have a

word with you as well. This is the key question - how these medals

come off your neck in the last three weeks? Yes, when I was on

holiday, but only because I didn't want dodgy tan lines. Victoria

Pendleton, you have said goodbye to your bicycle, is that right? I have

indeed. And you will be going on strictly come Dancing - have you

started training? Yes, it is hard work on the feet, but physically

not so much. A congratulations on an extraordinary career. This

particular float, it is gold medals wherever you look.

We are standing here with the family of Chris Hoy. Sarah, what

has it been like having him back? It has been fantastic, and to see

him smiling again. He has been smiling throughout, but now it is

with relief and happiness. He is delighted. Pressure off, I guess.

Yes, and he's just trying to enjoy the moment now, knowing that those

gold medals he has been working for, leaving no stone unturned, it has

worked out. Let's turn to his mum, Carol, and we can think of those

pictures of you not being able to look. I walk into shops, and people

don't say hello, they do this...! I am too scared to watch. They won by

a tiny margin so any of these guys could have won but I am so happy it

was Chris. What kind of male bag have you had? It has taken days to

get through e-mails and letters addressed to Sir Chris Hoy,

Scotland - they have arrived in our letterbox. It is amazing. It has

been fantastic, being recognised walking along the street as well.

It has been life-changing. I don't know what the words are, but it has

been fantastic. Sir Chris Hoy, Scotland, that has got to be the

most cool address in the world, hasn't it? Absolutely, and we have

got to say thanks to them for giving us Chris Hoy. We just so --

saw Jason Kenny and Chris Hoy, but they share birthdays with Steven

Redgrave, Mo Farah, and Roger Bannister. If you want to increase

your child's sporting chances, you know the date to aim for. You have

missed the boat for next year. March 23. That is the date. That is

astonishing. Are you sure? That can't be true. Apparently so, yes!

The among the stars today, two brothers have been the big hits of

the Games, and Sonali has been talking to them.

I'm with two of the best all-round athletes at the Games, Alistair

Brownlee and Jonny Brownlee who stuck on the podium next to each

other. How much has your life changed? It hasn't changed very

much, I am still racing, still being going to the pool to swim,

and running. I have been struggling to walk down the street without

being stopped, people telling me how good it was when I raced. There

has been brilliant. It has quietened down now, apart from

today obviously. Helicopters have been your new mode of transport, I

think your life has changed! Yes, there was great. It has changed but

it is amazing here today seeing the support, absolutely incredible that

so many people have turned out. Last time we spoke you hadn't had

chance to go out for dinner with your parents and summer break, have

you had chancier? Not really, I have been busy with training but I

want to go home and go out for dinner with my parents and enjoy it.

And of course that is your time to become world champion. Yes, my next

race will be in October so I am looking forward to that. It is a

new challenge. For you, Glasgow 2014 the next big aim maybe?

Definitely a Glasgow. There is the world championships next year and

the Commonwealth after that, definitely triathlon but I might

What was remarkable about them is they revealed an 89-year-old man

had sent them a letter, including a �10 for each of them, he wrote he

watched them and it was the best thing he had ever seen in his life

and Alastair said, I have had the letter in one pocket, and my gold

medal in the other ever since. They've been touched by the

response they've received from the general public and that gentleman,

in particular. It was lovely to see Sarah Storey as well earlier,

because she now goes into top of the medal table if she was an

individual, she's now got 11 golds, eight silvers and three bronzes,

split from swimming where we got five golds, and she now is in

modern era, the most successful Paralympian of all time, and to do

it in in in in two sports. For you, of all people, to say that, Tanni

because reaching your exulted heights is something else. That has

to be a source of pride and delight, but also recognising what an

amazing thing she's achieved. first met Sarah when she was 14 in

Barcelona and she looked so young and inexperienced and it's been an

up and down journey through her for swimming and it was an ear

infection which meant she couldn't swim and she got on the bike to do

cross training and with other people, and I think we are going to

have loads of people coming to cycling clubs now wanting to be the

next Sarah Storey. There's another star of the Aquatic Centre. Ellie

is still only 17. Incredible achievements. Everybody's enjoyed

watching her. The young man who came to the Olympics at the Aquatic

Centre with perhaps the most pressure was Tom Daley. I suppose

because we all watched him since his appearance as a 14-year-old in

Beijing. He was world champion and then losing his father, Rob. There

was so much on his shoulders and the tension of that final Saturday

night in the akwaut Aquatic Centre will stay with many of us.

Going past the Royal Courts of Justice, as you can see. All we

knew is a few judges in their wigs to come out. Here is Tom Daly. Or

is it Justin Justin Bieber! didn't expect this many people to

turn up. Compared to the Beijing parade this is a new level. Four

years ago we did an event over the road there, aged 14, you had the

heads of industry hanging on your every word and you were asked, you

are going to give your entire teenager years basically in pursuit

of a dream in London. Yeah. Would you have had it any other way?

Definitely not. This is what I have always dreamed of, winning an

Olympic medal. So all the hard work and sacrifice has been worth it. I

don't see this - just look at this. It's like, the British people there

are so supportive. It's fantastic. I don't think anyone expected the

British people to embrace the Olympic Games and Paralympics Games

like they have. One of the great images in the Aquatic Centre was

you and a few of your pals jumping in the pool. Was that on the spur

of the moment? It was not premeditated. It was spur of the

moment. They picked me up and we jumped in the pool. We couldn't

control ourselves. It was the first Olympic diving medal for years.

Most 18-year-olds, a lot anyway, are thinking about the next years,

heading off to university. You have done your A-levels, what do the

next three or four years hold for you? I am back to school for two

more maths modules and back to school and training. I am going to

look into research a bit about universities. Are you really?

but we will see. Best of luck. Two As and A*, by the way. A great

brain, and brilliant body. What a combination. We congratulate him.

Clearly enjoying the warmth and the response of the crowd. Just passing

a Church there at the head of Adlwych. They go on to The Strand.

Leading the way, there we are, the dancing lions.

Just trying to gauge exactly where they've got to, because there's a

great cheer for them as they approach. The parade itself is not

bang on time, I have to say, but all the run - but nothing serious.

We are still on The Strand. I am trying to spot where we are. Yes,

it's about midway down the Strand. As we have been discussing the

Olympic and Paralympic success is unprecedented. In the last few days

it's emerged that athletes are going to get their own honours list.

Under normal rules there would be one knighthood for a sports person

every year, four CBEs, etc, but that could all change in the new

year this time. With 29 Olympic and 34 Paralympics gold medallists I

think they're going to have to rewrite the rule book. Sounds

thraoeubg. I hope Max Boys is watching, he

would have loved that. The footballers and those who took

part in the the fencing on that float.

The 40 musicians of the band, as they lead this front section along

The Strand. This is to celebrate the achievements of more than 800

athletes of the Games of London 2012. It's a great day. We caught a

glimpse earlier of the equestrian floats and it was in both the

Olympics and Paralympics that our equestrian teams led the medal

tables, again never happened before. It was in the dressage events,

something which before now in the Olympics anyway, would never have

won a medal and that had us all schooling up and looking on at the

incredible dancing horses who were performing to anything from Elgar

to the theme tune from The Great Escape. Five gold medals at the

Paras and two at the Olympics in that alone.

Here she is on the edge of a potential individual gold.

Absolutely remarkable performance. Outstanding. This is gold about to

happen. She has made history. Natasha Baker's name is at the top

of that leader board. What a great result.

That's a great start. It's good news for Britain. We are right

there. Zara Phillips absolutely screaming

out of the arena. Over the last! It's silver for great Great Britain.

This could be the first gold. Yes! Britain have got gold.

We are on the equestrian float now. The only thing missing are horses.

Nick, many congratulations to you and a long career and it comes to

this. This is unbelievable. I have never seen anything like this.

Absolutely amazing. The worst thing is there is no seats on this bus. I

have to stand all the way! Where are the horses? Tucked up well and

on the way to Switzerland now. There was the Japanese guy who was

71 taking part in the Games. You are not quite there yet. Any

thoughts on carrying on that long? I don't know about 71. Maybe Rio,

but maybe that after that... Zara. Hello. You have seen some pretty

extraordinary things in your life. Have you seen anything like this?

No, it's unbelievable. To think everyone's come out for all of us.

This is like the whole Games. That's what made it, the crowd were

unbelievable and we are so grateful to them. We have so many, everyone

with gold medals all over the place. Greenwich was one of the great

success stories of the Games. To compete in that venue must have

been fantastic. It was unbelievable. Not every day did we get to ride in

front of 24,000 people and have that much support. The support from

the home crowd was immense. This is for you, what, beyond belief?

magical really. Who would have really realised that the amount of

people that were going to support us. I mean, it's unbelievable the

amount of people here and it's a little bit sad to think this is it

now. There will be a few tears, I am sure. Let me head on up the bus.

Come this way. Lee Pearson. Listen, it didn't turn

out quite perhaps as would you have wanted the Games but nonetheless...

I tried my hardest. It was a huge battle. The standard's February --

phenomenal. What an amazing Paralympics Games. We always like

to say thee things, but was it the best Paralympics Games ever?

know it was the best ever. I am so proud of the British public to come

out and watch Paralympics sport and embrace it and get educated about

it. It's an honour to be an athlete in these Games. Dressage is now

cool! Yeah. You have your three gold medals there. Have you slept

with them? Yeah, I have. I can't wear them for too long because it

gives me neck ache. They're heavy as well. Sophie, many

congratulations. Lovely to see you. There aren't any horses here, but

there are more gold medallists than you can shake a stick at on coach

equestrian. Many of us can remember Sophie's

huge performance at the Games and here are her family. Let's start

with her dad, Carl. What was the experience like watching your your

daughter? Incredible. The audience was marvellous. For her protocol is

they shouldn't clap and they couldn't resist, they spontaneously

stood up and applauded and it was marvellous. Really spectacular.

Caroline, I notice you are wearing an accreditation, in what guise

were you at the Games. Cheating a little bit, I was supposed to be a

horse owner but Sophie that owns the horse thanks to a consortium of

people thanks to people who put the money together. It was great. She's

a huge backing crowd of people who help her do these things, including

her coach, Clive. All the people at yard. Lots of people will want to

know what does it feel like having a champion daughter? Fantastic. I

am glad she doesn't live with us any more, her head wouldn't fit

through the door! And brother, Alex, is that true? You can be sporting

about your sister. Well, it is true, yeah. I think I am one of the only

people that she will actually let me give her abuse, so I am sort of

keeping her ego in check. What's the reaction been like at home?

Postbox, inbox and e-mails? postbox was painted a few days ago

and the amount of people we have seen walking past saying I didn't

realise there was a gold medallist in our village, it's brilliant.

Schools and everybody there really supported and Alex was a volunteer

at the equestrian area. It was great to have the family together

at that time. I really hope you enjoy today. Keep on doing it.

Thank you very much. Speaking of postboxes, Sophie

celebrating her but we saw Charlotte with John a few minutes

ago. Now the 4th woman ever to win two golds at an Olympics for Great

Britain. Kelly Holmes, Rebecca Adlington and Charlotte. She went

back with Carl Hester with whom she won the team dressage to his

channel island of Sarke and a homecoming welcome there for Carl

and he, believe it or not, is the second ever channel islander to

have won an Olympic medal. The last was in 1920 and their postbox was

indeed painted gold. Well done Guernsey post. We are on the final

approach in to Trafalgar Square. South Africa House there on the

left. The road sweeping into the square itself, Nelson's Column,

just off to the left-hand side. It's a great scene at the moment.

When we look at the crowd that's gathered here now, we get a a sense

of the intensity of interest and enthusiasm that both Games have

actually produced. It's been amazing. I think it's lovely to

hear Olympians talking about Paralympians and Paralympians

talking about Olympians. All the athletes and coaches will be blown

away by this level of interest. You expect people to come to the Games

because it's the Olympics, for them to have taken time off work or come

out of their offices, to carry the flags to cheer, it's unbelievable.

It's important, for the athlete who is have won medals it's a great

celebration but for maybe the athletes who haven't achieved quite

what they wanted it's a chance to look back and enjoy the Games and

celebrate and also just be with team-mates because the hard work

starts again. We are already talking about Rio and eight years,

time to look forward. And there's been a huge amount of pressure on

these guises. -- guys. A home Games is so hard. They've been

interviewed and asked questions, they've never been able to escape

the London Games and this is their In Rio there will be two more

sports, rugby sevens and golf. It is very significant as we look

forward that there are other goals and other things to achieve for

other sports men too. They are delighted in the triathlon because

they have a number of world champions so that will be very

exciting for the Rio programme. a hard act to follow. The Danny

Boyle figure of the ceremonies in 2016 is Mario Ballic, and after the

opening ceremony here he said "I want to make clear, we are not

obliged to throw our President out Let me tell you about this parade -

it will make its way down to Trafalgar Square, where there will

be a crowd watching events on the big screen, then the athletes

themselves will be allowed through Admiralty Arch through the Mall,

and there will be a special event outside Buckingham Palace, where

there will be some speeches by David Cameron and Boris Johnson to

mark the end of this magnificent summer. There is Admiralty Arch and

the start of the processional route down Trafalgar Square, along St

James's Park to Buckingham Palace. The police there already because we

can see them beyond the main centre arch which means the formal part of

this parade is about to begin. Those lining the Mall, you will not

be seeing the amount of people we saw at the Diamond Jubilee for

example. They are handling this different made, people have had to

apply for tickets. Many of them will be volunteers, and their

families, who have been given the vantage point along the Mall. Many

people will be following events on the big screens. Whitehall just

down to the right leading down to Parliament Square. Trafalgar Square

itself dominated by Nelsons, -- Nelson's Column, and a real sense

of building towards the finale, which will involve plenty of music

and a real welcome for athletes arriving outside the palace so they

can be given the congratulations and applause that people want to

offer them today. Clearly these scenes will be inspiring our next

batch of Olympians and Paralympians because we talk about Rio 2016 but

it is the Winter Games in 25th of - - in 2014. For many people have

been invited to the practice sessions and of their art on record

as saying it has inspired them for the Winter Games. The current World

Cup champion for the skeleton said she has the bit between her teeth

They always think the athletes from athletics and archery are very

lucky because they get to be in front in the parade. I don't know

whether every country does it in alphabetical order, but we do that

in Britain and they get to go behind the flag-bearer. Shops of

Jessica Ennis waving, and Steve Miller from Newcastle in the

background, plucked rower. I think this is his fourth Paralympic Games.

Because Peter Norfolk carried our flag and there was voted for by our

team they didn't change the precedent and allowed tennis to be

at the front so I think athletics and archery didn't know what had

hit them. It was great to see Peter coming into the stadium and

carrying the flag. They are getting close to us here and the Big Show

will start when the parade begins arriving here. Steve Redgrave, what

do you make of this parade? It is amazing. I have witnessed a couple

of the parades before, always watching, never being a part of it.

They started doing this after I retired but the crowd has been

bigger than ever before. There has got to be a million people on the

street. The atmosphere is very special. Just sitting here and

seeing the people at the end is fantastic. Trafalgar Square is

packed. It gives the athletes another memory. They won their

medals, but this will give them a sense of appreciation of what they

have done. It is a lovely way to finish it off. The weather gods

must be big fans as well because do you remember the monsoon weather we

were having before the Olympics? don't remember that at all! If his

holding of, and people are enjoying it, anticipating the arrival. Let's

talk about what's next for them. You achieve your dreams or get

close, and just being in the Olympics for some people was enough,

then what? They have to refocus. People like Jessica Ennis have the

world championships, the Commonwealth Games, and they need

to get energised. This has been an incredible moment for them, but

they need to think about if this is enough. Jessica Ennis is still

young, Mo Farah is still young, and they will want to achieve many more

accolades. That first 12 months after the Olympic Games, is that

the hardest? It wasn't for me, with my health and coming down with

diabetes in the last three years of competing was very tough, so I was

very pleased that was it for me and I felt I could stop, but then I got

involved with the bidding. I got involved with the chairman of the

BOA, the executives of the BOA, and they sat down and took me out for

coffee just down the road from here and said they were thinking about

bidding for the Olympics in 2012. I have something to get straight into

and be part of. Some of these athletes were thinking about

retiring for years ago but London was too much of the draw, but now

they will stop and they will be thinking about what to do now. That

will be really tough, but there will be a wave of excitement until

the end of the year and beyond. They need that time. They don't

want to come out with random statements, like I did. Shoot me!

For I carried on for four years after that. Katherine Grainger is

not making any rash statements, but she is even talking about carrying

on and I know the rowing group as a whole, where I thought a lot of the

team would think about stopping, but they are thinking why not carry

on. Even more people on the streets than the Olympic parade four and

eight years ago. In the royal wedding we saw a million people on

the Mall. This country has brilliant ad showing its

appreciation, coming out and being vocal. This is demonstrating how

much sport means to the nation. There were a lot of people who

doubted whether the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games would be a

success. Would our men and women deliver great performances? Every

box has been ticked. It has been a wonderful experience and looking at

these pictures here, there will be people in Scotland, Wales, Northern

Ireland thinking I wish I could be there. I hope they can enjoy the

emotion. People in Scotland will be thinking about how they have the

Commonwealth Games in two years. were talking about the Commonwealth

Games in Manchester and what was it like previously? It was tremendous.

I remember the 40th anniversary of Mary winning her medal in Munich,

and the excitement was incredible. You have got to remember the

schools are back now so I'm sure some of them will be here. There

has been some criticism saying the schools have not been able to be

part of it. We haven't been able to get them in, there has not been the

space for it. Incredible scenes. Colin talking about the traffic,

There is a traffic jam there, it is not moving very well! In 1996 they

didn't have a parade like this for your success, did they? No, smaller

floats! Rowing will be having a big impact. I have been asked to go on

the selection panel and I am thinking oh, my God, what have I

let myself in for. For they are getting close. Where are they, Huw?

Very close, passing under Admiralty Arch so they should be with you

that the Queen Victoria memorial within a few minutes. We are

wondering if we have ever seen a crowd like this in central London

for any kind of event. I said I remember Nelson Mandela coming here

in the late 90s, there was a bit crowd but I'm pretty certain it was

nothing like this today. No, it is absolutely gargantuan as befits the

greatest thing this country has ever staged. It is by far and away

the most successful Games. There were only 22 nations taking part

the last time we hosted, and to pick up something that was said in

the studio earlier, these medals for Great Britain's teams have come

from every single corner of the United Kingdom. The success has

touched everyone, and Ruth if we needed it that the whole is more

than the sum of the part. Aristotle was on to something. I have never

seen anything like this, and I don't know how many times since I

retired I have been asked if I wish I could compete in London, and the

answer is no because winning his lovely but you spend your whole

life training. I wouldn't have minded sneaking on one of the back

of the floats. So many thousands of people coming out and cheering is

great for the athletes - what motivation to keep training.

let's hear from another one of the stars on the floats today.

I am with the face of the Paralympic Games, Ellie Simmonds.

She has four medals, two of them gold medals. It is amazing, it is

great to celebrate and be part of this. We knew that crowd would go

crazy for you but I was not expecting this today. They are

screaming your name. How does that feel? It is amazing, to celebrate

with the public and it was great to It was amazing to have that honour

and in front of 80,000 poem and Johnny as well, -- people. I was

nervous but really excited. What now for you, Ellie? Have a break

for a bit and get away from the water and just enjoy the

celebrations after the Games and we have the World Championships next

year. We feel like we have grown up with you and you are a star. Thank

Two golds, silver and bronze this time. Two golds to go with the

golds she claimed as a 14-year-old in Beijing. Very emotional, I

noticed, in the last of those medals, Tanni. At that point it

took a long time for the crowds and the expectation and the emotion to

finally overwhelm her. Absolutely. You kind of forget in Beijing she

was so young and I don't think there was any expectation on her.

She won two golds and there was a sort of mad sort of flourish of

publicity around her and came to these Games with pressure and to

increase the number of event was amazing and brilliant for swimming.

39 medals in total for swimming. It's lovely to see Colin Moynihan

there, chair of the BOA, Princess Royal, Boris Johnson, everyone

supporting the team. It's a true mingling of Olympics and

Paralympics which London Games has helped deliver. An interesting mix

there in the VIP box. We also saw the man who delivered the Olympics

and that's the correct word to use, Sir on-- Sir John. He certainly did

a wonderful job. The Princess Royal, of course, had that wonderful

moment in an official capacity to present her own daughter with a

silver medal and not many mums have a chance to do that. Although I I

also note that Irish athlete Michael McKillop did. I presented

the flowers at that ceremony and there was - no anyone coming out to

present and I was saying where is the person. And they were saying,

we're hiding them. I marched out with no presenter and she was

revealed and it was wonderful to see Michael's face and his mum,

they were both in tears by it. the parade is slowly, very slowly,

making its way down towards Buckingham Palace. I told you a

while ago that it was not a serious delay of about 15 minutes, I am now

going to revise that in the interests of transparency. I am

wondering whether it's closer to half an hour plus. That event will

take place as soon as all the athletes arrive just in front of

the Palace, that's where this event will take place and there will be

plenty of music and speeches, too. We will be hearing from some of

those who have been some of the more prominent faces, not part of

the athletic community, sporting community, but people like Boris

Johnson who have become even more well known as a result of the

events of this summer. That's where the parade will end and there will

be a big crowd and lots of them will be part of the community of

Games-makers who have been working as volunteers. 70,000 of them

working as volunteers in lots of different jobs during the past

couple of months. Making our way down the Mall, past

the entrance to Horse Guards Parade. Then passing Clarence House and

Lancaster House on the way down to the Palace. Johnny Peacock there.

Goldie has her arm in a sling, before her javelin final twaebged

something in the foream and that did hamper her progress. She gave

an interview afterwards with regard to her own chance. She's terribly

disappointed but always eloquent. She's vowed she's going to carry on

The first lead section of the parade, the procession arriving at

the stands. Those stands mark the start, if you like, of the arena,

the performance arena for the final area itself. We saw some of the

guests, including Boris Johnson, in the background. A good dozen floats

there are already through Admiralty Arch. There are 21 of them. Louis

Smith, wow. It's great, isn't it? The reception is fantastic. We had

a bit of down time after the Olympics. Just to relive the moment

it's fantastic. Have you been... have been everywhere, holiday,

working, hardly seen my family and parents. It's been manic. To come

back to this, it's just crazy. Really good fun. The business about

inspiring a generation and everything like that, what sort of

response have you had from kids over the last month or so to what

you achieved? The kids, so many people want to get involved in

gymnastics and sport now. I have had so many tweets and messages

from clubs and parents. That's what the Olympics is about. It's abouten

spiring people to get involved in sport. It's fantastic. Have hu

people saying, I want to get a pole get -- pommel horse? They're hard

to come by, kids can get down to the gym club. As you can hear all

the athletes and coaches in front of us are being announced. You are

about to get your moment, as well. Can I bring Beth in. You got your

medal, that took many years of hard work, didn't it? Yeah, a lot of

people remember me from 2002 Commonwealth so it took ten years

to finally achieve that one last dream. Can you imagine how many

thousands of hours you have spent in gyms for that? No, I can't. 30

hours a week and it took me a long time but I can't remember all that,

I just remember the good times and standing on the podium. They're

chanting for you and everybody else. Just acknowledge the applause,

because the public love you and Louis and everybody else. Well done.

I am with the amazing British rowing team. Let's start with Helen

Glover and Heather Stanning who won the first gold of the Games. This

is not your first victory parade, I hear your homecomings were

incredible. We were fortunate enough to have homecomings, in

Penzance. Not as busy as this. Scotland, the other end of the

country, but they did a fantastic job coming out in the rain. It was

really touching. We are so pleased everyone is so excited. You are a

Captain in the Royal Artillery, are you rejoining your regiment soon?

am back to work next Monday. Enjoying this time at the moment,

being an athlete but back to work next week. Do you think you will

fit right in? I hope so. A bit of readjusting but hopefully get back

to work easily. You have another incredible parade planned for you

there, as well. Thank you very much. Enjoy the rest of the parade.

Incredible to think Helen Glover started rowing in 2005, the the

year Great Britain was awarded these Games for London. By the way,

Heather's postbox in Lossiemouth is the most northerly in the country.

I am sure David Cameron is aware of that. I am absolutely sure he is

and Colin Moynihan and Seb Coe as well who told us a while ago about

his immense pride in what's been achieved and he's been modest,

given the fact he's driven the bid and delivered the bid. It's

something that, frankly, he should be not too modest about. Indeed. We

saw Helen and Heather there, starting the gold rush by winning

the first in women's rowing since it was introduced in 1976 for Great

Britain and sure enough, you wait 36 years and three women's golds

come along in four days. Amongst them one for Katherine The Great.

Golden girl, how is this pa roeud for you -- parade for you,

overwhelming? It's impossible to put into words. No idea this many

people would come out all over again. It's one - amazing messages

of support. It's just - you just want to hug everybody. Amazing.

just be loving now being Olympic champion, finally? Well, things

like this don't help make it sink in, it's even more surreal. I mean,

you imagine what it might be like but no one dreamt this. This is

beyond dreams come true. When you watch - Andy Murray said you were

an inspiration to him, will you be keeping an eye on him today in the

US Open. Everyone felt - to see him win was incredible. Wonderful. Now

I am hoping he takes it on and wins the US Open. You need to be in the

next press conferences, he had Sean Connery and Alex Ferguson bursting

in. You go for it, enjoy the parade. Katherine's victory with Anna

Watkins was one of the most popular I think in the Olympics. A win for

sheer bloody-minded determineness. We see the team pursuitists. Laura

Trott there. There's Philip Heinds and Victoria Pendleton. So many

decorated in the Velodrome. It was one of the hottest tickets in town.

We talk about legacy. Well, there is plans in Edinburgh for a Sir

Chris Hoy cycle pathway. A route right around the city and that's

really legacy in action. Interesting to see so many senior

figures from the armed forces in that VIP stand. There will be lots

of people watching who will want to acknowledge the role they played in

the smooth running, they stepped in to help out with security

arrangements when there were difficulties at the start, and

really did help to smooth things over and things ran very

efficiently indeed. When Sochi and Rio seek to emulate some of the

aspects of London, they'll look at the enthusiasm but you made a great

point, ease of access. That was very refreshing as someone who's

been at a few of these things and we all have in this commentary box

before. The other thing they'll pick up on is the LED pixels. A

real winner. They streamed them around when Johnny Peacock won.

That made it another special night. The other thing, a sense of humour.

Mr Bean, James Bond. Danny Boyle, to be fair, we are weeks on now and

it's easy to forget some of the things that happened weeks ago.

Danny Boyle who did perform a miracle with that opening ceremony,

had always said and said to me in May when I spoke to him then, that

he wanted to introduce that quirky British sense of humour into the

ceremony. That was such a gamble. To do that on a global stage is not

an easy thing and not a given. I felt that really he did pull that

off very well and cleverly blended that humour in a way that lots of

people could get. Mr Bean, well, yes that's British humour, but

British humour that's understood and is loved all over the world.

was indeed. That opening ceremony of the Olympics, like watching and

being on the film set of a live Danny Boyle movie. No cuts, no

stoppages, all the tape actually fed in live, a triumph. And Kim

Gavin at the opening ceremony of the Paralympics, spectacular show.

Both were amazing, for Paralympics we are used to having the same

ceremony. This was a chance to do something incredibly different. For

both Games it was important that the athletes' parade, they came in

quickly and gave the athletes the opportunity to leave. For those

that were able to go it meant such a big thing for the athletes

because that marks the start of it. A number of our athletes choose not

to be there if they were competing the next day or day after but that

The noise levels have risen because the first floats have come to the

This is special. Yes, and I can see Mo Farah, the man who made me lose

my voice! It is a day off from his kids, getting some peace and quiet.

Brilliant stuff. He is a hero, a global hero. Anybody who knows

anything about sport, N Dover and training, what he achieved is so

special. He did so well at the world championships last year and

coming back to repeat that, once you have had a season that has gone

so well for you, it is so difficult come back and do it again. I

thought he was struggle but he did it with greater ease. So many of

the faces of this game to game into the Olympics with their faces all

over posters - Jessica Ennis was all over Heathrow, a 70 ft image of

her, and she had to live up to that and see those posters. That is an

added pressure of the home Games. can't imagine the pressure from

that point of view. They am struggling to comprehend from that

point of view. We never had that within our time and I think I would

have loved it in some ways, I would have been celebrating on one of the

floats now. If they have waited patiently. We have sat here all

afternoon and the crowd have waited, and now they are being rewarded for

their patience. They get to see their heroes. If they are lucky