Our Greatest Team: Athletes' Parade

The Olympics brings together the people of the world in harmony and

friendship, and peace, to celebrate what is best about mankind. To

every athlete waiting, ready, prepared to take part in these

There is no such thing as a standard, run of the male human

being. We share the same human spirit. She has destroyed her own

world record and won a gold medal again! What is important is that we

have the ability to create. Creativity can take many forms,

from physical achievement to theoretical physics will stop

dreams do come true! There is a truth to sport, a drama, and

intensity. A spirit that makes it irresistible to take part in and

irresistible to watch. London 2012 will inspire a generation. Is it

enough? It is, for Sarah Storey! every Olympic Sport, there is all

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 athletes to excel, to stretch themselves and become

outstanding in their field. To my fellow countrymen, I say thank you.

Thank you for making all of this 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 a part of the Olympic movement. This

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 Welcome. It is all over, the action

is finished at the Olympic Park. The Paralympic closing ceremony was

a fitting end to an incredible sum of sport. Today, our brilliant

Olympic and Paralympic athletes came out onto the streets of London

for one last hurrah. As has been the case throughout the Games, the

You know you have joined the pantheon of sporting greats when

you only have to have one name and people know who we are talking

about. Hello, how are you doing. You are the first man we are

continuing, what are your impressions of this? It's amazing,

the amount of people coming out to support. We have great memories of

the Games, for them to come out for one last time, to wave to the crowd,

it's awesome. About the crowd I would not have achieved what I did.

They gave me a massive boost. I'm just enjoying myself. Two gold

medals and two children, how would you compare the emotions? It's

unbelievable, completely different. I'm really grateful, winning two

medals. I have managed to give them one of each, that is the important

thing. No better way to get to parade and the way that listening

to Mo Farah, sharing his enthusiasm at the first floats are on the move.

The two children he was referring to, two twin goals, clearly, good

things continue to happen to the family on Saturdays. It's almost

showing off to have her four. This man is superhuman, David Weir. This

time yesterday you were going down the streets in pursuit of the 4th

one. What a remarkable 11 days in your life? It has not sunk in yet,

to tell you the truth. I need to go back home, spent some time with my

family. Just watch the races back and then just look back at what I

have done and what I have achieved. I look at my Twitter feed, Facebook

and everything else, I get all these messages saying I am this and

that, superhuman. People saying, you are amazing. People saying that

my 15 hundredth, for instance, was the best race they have seen in

their life. It was a great honour to be in that stadium. When you

read things like that, it is unbelievable. An unbelievable 11

days of competition. Let me bring in something else on that the float

that you might recognise. Jess Ennis, the end of an

extraordinary... I don't know, month, two months, a year?

incredible year. To lend on this huge high, in London, with the

amazing team, with this crowd, it's incredible. Have you been near the

track since? Yesterday! Me and my training partner, Louise. Just

keeping the body ticking over. Other than that, relaxing and

enjoying life. Jess Ennis is now a Freeman of the City of Sheffield,

she has a stand at Bramall Lane named after her and she has made

Crowds like these, do days like these make you think you could go

for Rio? It is awe-inspiring stuff. Blown away by the level of support.

So many people around me. It's amazing. Ben Ainslie. Modest,

enthusiastic, the man who famously was made angry during the Games.

That led to big things. Float number five, a gaggle of gold

medallists in boxing. Nicky Campbell, bantamweight boxing. An

extraordinary end to many years of hard work for you. Definitely, a

very proud moment. It is something I have been working for my whole

life, achieving that goal, the whole nation getting behind us, it

is overwhelming. I am so proud to be from Great Britain. Nicola Adams,

gold medallist. She is not that tall, she is standing on a box!

are you doing? How are you doing? Really excited, I can't believe the

people that have come out to see us, I think it's great. You have had

time since you won to think about the impact you have made. I am sure

you are bored of people saying that he made history as the first woman

gold medallist. Has the importance of what you did something yet?

is just starting to sink in now. An amazing achievement, not just for

me but for Great Britain as a nation. I just think it is

fantastic that I was able to get that gold medal for my country.

Have you had a lot of teenage girls coming up and saying, I want to do

what you did? Yes, people want Twitter saying, you have inspired

me to start boxing, take up sport. That's fantastic. It's all about

inspiring the next generation. Anthoney Joshua, the same size as

you, actually, no wonder you won exhibition are what is going on

with her today? I don't know, she has grown since she got the gold

medal. Then a slow as, Audley Harrison, so many people have

immediately thought, I must go professional and make millions?

What are your thoughts? I just want to get into the gym, be the best

fighter I can day. My thoughts are on improvement, I just want to be a

better fighter. On that final day, to get the gold medal, how did you

feel about being part of the final chapter of the most remarkable

Olympics of all? Unbelievable. So quick, and in dramatic fashion all

the way through. It's only now sinking in, what I've achieved. And

it could afford to another final, to win it and become champion.

Everybody here, coming together, it's bigger than I could believe. I

want to say thank you to everybody out there. Among the stars today

are two brothers who have been some I am with two of the best all-round

athletes, the very talented brothers, Alastair Brownlee The Who

a one gold in Hyde Park, and Johnny, who stood on the podium with him.

How much has your life changed over the past month? All right. On the

surface, it hasn't changed very much. Still been going swimming,

cycling. I have been struggling to walk down the street without

somebody telling me how good it was, that they were watching and it

inspired them. That's been brilliant. I think it has quieted

down, apart from the obvious today. It's amazing to see the people

supporting us. Incredible, the amount of people that have turned

out. I'm surprised by the numbers. The homecoming, all of the people

came out to cheer us on. Surprised again. Last time, you hadn't had a

chance to go out for dinner with your parents and celebrate. Have

you had a chance? Not really, I've been busy trying to get fit again,

trading. I am going to go home, go out with my parents and enjoy it.

Arguably the hottest tickets in town were for the Velodrome. Our

cyclists smashed the targets, produced some of the most memorable

moments. Chris Hoy, with his stick- on sideburns for Bradley Wiggins.

The amazing form of the likes of Laura Trott and Victoria Pendleton.

And now the fearless Sarah Storey. The unofficial team captain, if I

can call him that, of the cycling Pozzi. Sir Chris Hoy. Words fail

you sometimes, don't they? Four years ago I thought we saw the

greatest ever welcome for another bid and Paralympic team. This tops

it. People are hanging out of roofs, climbing lamp-posts, it's

incredible. These guys have made big gains. They have given us

energy and enthusiasm, support. The volunteers, the armed forces, the

police, it is something we can all be proud of. It has shown we can

put on a big party, enjoy ourselves and celebrate. Sarah Storey, two,

four, everybody is showing off their medals. Some people thought

in the hiatus between the Olympics and Paralympics, it might be a bit

of a disappointment. Far from it? Everything just stepped up a level.

For us, as Paralympians, to have the immense crowd, the amazing

venues, incredible volunteers, backed up by our amazing team, we

could not have asked for more. proud were you at the closing

ceremony to realise you had been part of something on that scale?

proud. We walked into that stadium and it was gold everywhere. A sea

of gold. It was just amazing. I can't believe it. More and more

gold medals. Lovely to see you. I was with you a couple of weeks ago

in Sheffield, with a bunch of young kids. There were the next

generation you are hoping to inspire. How many young people have

come up to you and said, I've got a bike, I want to be a cyclist?

and lots. I've recently been introduced to Twitter, lots of

people had been on their saying they have bought new bikes since

the Olympics. I really love it, rate for to be part of it. Laura,

proudly wearing your two gold medals. This is the key question,

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

on holiday. Only because I didn't want tan lines! Fantastic, perfect.

Victoria Pendleton, you have said goodbye to your bicycle, is that

right? I had indeed. You have replaced it with going on Strictly,

are you in training? I have already started. It's been really good fun,

I can't wait. Is it hard work? defeat, it is. Physically, not so

much. A golden coincidence. We just saw Jason Kemi and Sir Chris Hoy.

They share their birthday with Sir Steve Redgrave, Mo Farah and Sir

Roger Bannister, 23rd March. We are on the equestrian float.

Nick Skelton, many congratulations. A long career, and it comes to

this? Unbelievable. I have never seen anything like this. After that

he amazing. The worst thing is, there are no seats on this bus!

Japanese guy, he was 71, taking part. You are not quite there. Any

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

Zara Phillips, listen, you have seen some pretty extraordinary

things in your life. Have you seen anything quite like this question

that no, unbelievable. To think everybody has come out for all of

us. This is like the whole games, though. The crowd were unbelievable.

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

great success stories of the Games, to compete in that then you must

have been fantastic? Unbelievable. Not every day do we get to ride in

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

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

Magical, really. Who would have realised the amount of people that

were going to come out here and support us? It's unbelievable, the

amount of people that are here. It's a little bit sad to think that

this is it, now. There will be a We always like to say these things

but was it the best Paralympic Games ever? You know it was. I am

so proud of the British public to come out and watch Paralympic sport

and get educated about it. It is an honour to be an athlete in these

Games. It really has been. Dressage is now cool. You know, you have got

your three gold medals there. Have you slept with them? They give me

neck ache. Many congratulations. Lovely to see you. There are not

any horses here, but there are more gold medallists than you can shake

a stick at on coach equestrian. I think it is important to know,

for the athletes who have won medals it is a great celebration.

For those who have not achieved quite what they wanted, this is a

chance for them to look back and celebrate and to be with their

team-mates because the hard work starts again. We are already

talking about Rio and eight years time as well, trying to look

forward. Home Games is so hard. You know, there's been so much interest

in much younger athletes, from two or three years out. They have been

interviewed. They have never been able to escape the London Games.

This is their chance to celebrate. I am with a huge star of the pool

and face of the Paralympic Games. Ellie Simmonds, you could not have

got much sleep last night? Not at all.

It was amazing. It was great to celebrate.

It is unbelievable. We knew the crowd would go crazy for you, but I

did not expect it to this extent. They are screaming your name. How

does that feel? Amazing. To celebrate the public - I had the

home advantage. You had that honour last night to extinguish the flame?

It was a great honour. I was quite nervous, but really excited. What

next for you? Have a break for a bit now. Get away from the water

and just enjoy the celebrations of the Games.

Going into the championships next year. We feel like we have grown up

Two golds a silver and a bronze this time. One of each colour. In

fact two golds to claim with the two golds she claimed as a 14-year-

old in Beijing. It is crazy, isn't it? The

reception is fantastic. We had a bit of down-time after the Olympics.

Just to relive the moment, it's just fantastic. Have you been

flying effectively for the past few weeks? I have been everywhere. I

have been on holiday. I have hardly seen my parents. It's been manic to.

Come back to this - it's just crazy. Brilliant, really good fun. It is

about inspiring a generation and everything like that. What sort of

response have you had from kids over the past month or so to what

you achieved? I mean the kids, there are so many people who want

to get involved in gymnastics and sport now. I've had so many Tweets.

That's what the Olympics is about. It is about inspiring people to get

involved in sport. It's fantastic. I'm with the amazing British rowing

team. You won Team GB's first gold of the

Games in the women's pair. I hear both your home-comings were

incredible? For me it was in Cornwall. We had a massive bus

parade. It was not as busy as this, but it turned out well. I was in

the north of Scotland. The other end of the country. It was really

touching. You are a captain in the royal artillery, are you rejoining

your regiment soon? Yes. I am back to work next Monday. I am enjoying

this moment as an athlete. Do you So the plane that brought the flame

to the British Isles with a thank you written very clearly on the

underside. A thank you to all the athletes and a thank you to all

those who took part in the Games. It is leading the way. We are now

looking out for the next formation. What a sight! The Red Arrows,

streaming red, white and blue There can't be a more impressive or

dramatic tribute to the hundreds of To everyone here, on this

extraordinary day, after this amazing parade, on behalf of the

whole nation - thank you. Thank you to the athletes, to Team GB, to

Paralympics GB. You have given us a golden summer of British sport and

you have made us all so proud. From the heroes of the Velodrome to

the giants of the Aquatics Centre and the champions of track and

field, from Eton Dorney and to Weymouth, to every one of our great

Olympians and Paralympians you have given us moments we'll never forget.

The whole country salutes your brilliance. And thank you...

APPLAUSE And thank you to all those who made

this possible. Britain's engineers and construction workers, Sebastian

Coe and his amazing team. The police, who kept us safe.

APPLAUSE And to our servicemen and women,

who stepped up so magnificently, you proved again you are the

greatest in the world. And to the thousands of volunteers

who turned London into a city of smiling faces - you are the people

who made these the greatest Games Thank you, Prime Minister. Ladies

and gentlemen, first can I say what a privilege it has been to be

President of the British Olympic Association for a home Games here

in Great Britain. It's been an extraordinary journey and the

members and I were there when the decision was first made. I have to

say this has been a really remarkable period of time. And

another big thank you to the great British public for its outstanding

support, whether that's been as spectators, as volunteers or as

people in a range of different uniforms who have all been

volunteers to support the Games. But finally, to our athletes for

they -- their awe-inspiring achievements. I mean all the

athletes, everybody, not just those who have won medals, all of them.

You are now all Olympians and Paralympians, you set the tone for

the future. Thank you. APPLAUSE

Thank you very much Your Royal Highness. My friends, I will keep

this brief because I have got some people behind me who have been on

floats all afternoon without being allowed to touch a drop of beer, so

I'm going to get very quickly through this. We come now to the

final tear-sodden climax of the summer of London 2012. It is of

course right Prime Minister that we should pay tribute to all the

thousands of people who have helped to deliver the greatest Olympic and

Paralympic Games ever held. Above all, it is right now we should

thank the people without whom the last six weeks would simply not

have made sense and not been possible, the most successful team

of athletes this country has ever assembled. I want to say to all of

you - my, God there are a lot of you! I want to say to every single

one of you, this was your achievement. This was your

achievement. You brought this country together in a way we never

expected. You routed the doubters, and you scattered the gloomsters.

For the first time in living memory you caused Tube train travellers to

break into spontaneous conversation. You did rack up more medals than

France, didn't you? And more medals than Germany and more medals than

Australia. More medals, my friends per head, more medals per head than

virtually any country on Earth. Yes, you brought sport home to a city

and country, where by and large it was invented and codfyed. You

brought athletics home. You brought home rowing, you

brought home cycling. You brought home judo. I am not sure that judo

was invented in London, but never mind. You brought home ping-pong

and above all, above all, you brought home the truth about us and

about this country. That when we put our minds to it there's no

limit to what Britain can achieve. Let's give them a big cheer as they

go forward to Rio de Janeiro. Thank CHEERING AND APPLAUSE. A popular

figure wherever he has gone at Olympic venues, bringing this

finale to a close before they sing the National Anthem, with Katherine

# God save our gracious queen # Long live our noble Queen

# God save the Queen # Send her victorious