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Wales joins Olympic celebrations Wales joins Olympic celebrations
(about 7 hours later)
Cities and towns throughout Wales are joining celebrations marking the end of the Beijing Olympics and the handover of the games to London in 2012.Cities and towns throughout Wales are joining celebrations marking the end of the Beijing Olympics and the handover of the games to London in 2012.
Cardiff, Swansea, and Wrexham will be among those marking the success of Team GB on Sunday, including three golds and two silvers for Welsh athletes. Cardiff, Swansea, and Wrexham were among those marking the success of Team GB on Sunday, including three golds and two silvers for Welsh athletes.
Local venues will see flag-raising ceremonies, and big screens will allow spectators to see the closing ceremony. Local venues saw flag-raising ceremonies, and big screens allowed spectators to see the closing ceremony.
They will be followed on Tuesday by a public parade in Cardiff Bay.They will be followed on Tuesday by a public parade in Cardiff Bay.
Many of Sunday's festivities in Cardiff will take place in Roahl Dahl Plass against the backdrop of the Mermaid Quay Cardiff Harbour Festival, including a big screen. Many of Sunday's festivities in Cardiff were taking place in Roahl Dahl Plass against the backdrop of the Mermaid Quay Cardiff Harbour Festival, including a big screen.
Team GB has had incredible success in Beijing this year and Cardiff is keen to show our support for their achievements as well as begin the countdown for London 2012 Nigel Howells, Cardiff councilTeam GB has had incredible success in Beijing this year and Cardiff is keen to show our support for their achievements as well as begin the countdown for London 2012 Nigel Howells, Cardiff council
Four parachutists from the Royal Parachute Regiment will jump out of a plane carrying the Olympic flag at about 1445 BST on Sunday. Cardiff joined in with a celebratory event that saw parachutists from the Royal Parachute Regiment jumping out of a plane carrying the Union Flag and Olympic flags.
The Olympic handover flag will then be brought to land by boat and passed to a group of young athletes waiting on the pontoon at the bottom of Roahl Dahl Plass. The Olympic flag landed in the water at Cardiff Bay, and was then brought to land by boat and passed to a group of young gymnasts, cyclists and rowers, all hoping to compete in the 2012 games.
The athletes, who are all potential competitors for the London 2012 Olympics and represent rowing, cycling and gymnastics, will then bring the flag to the centre of the Plass where it will be raised. The flag was then raised in Roald Dahl Plass, where a screen brought images of the closing ceremony of the Beijing games to the thousands of spectators gathered there.
Cardiff council's executive member for sport, Nigel Howells said: "Team GB has had incredible success in Beijing this year and Cardiff is keen to show our support for their achievements as well as begin the countdown for London 2012."Cardiff council's executive member for sport, Nigel Howells said: "Team GB has had incredible success in Beijing this year and Cardiff is keen to show our support for their achievements as well as begin the countdown for London 2012."
Cardiff will also see a flag-raising ceremony at the Millennium Stadium and the Welsh Institute of Sport in Sophia Gardents at 1500 BST. Cardiff also saw a flag-raising ceremony at the Millennium Stadium and the Welsh Institute of Sport in Sophia Gardents.
The Army Cadet Force will be joined by representatives from the Sports Council for Wales at the institute. The Army Cadet Force were joined by representatives from the Sports Council for Wales at the institute.
In Swansea, coverage of the closing ceremony and the 2012 party will be provided on a big screen in Castle Square. In Swansea, coverage of the closing ceremony and the 2012 party was provided on a big screen in Castle Square.
The event will also include a performance by the Samba band, Samba Tawe at 1245. The event also included a performance by the Samba band, Samba Tawe.
David Davies celebrates his silver medal in the 10km swim During the afternoon Berwyn Price, Swansea's own former Olympian will be raising the flag with Swansea lord mayor Gareth Sullivan. David Davies celebrates his silver medal in the 10km swim During the afternoon Berwyn Price, Swansea's own former Olympian raised the flag with Swansea lord mayor Gareth Sullivan.
Then the Morriston Phoenix Choir will perform and sing with the audience. The Morriston Phoenix Choir performed and sang with the audience.
In Bridgend, local sports stars and potential future Olympians will be on hand to help raise the flag at 1600 BST. In Bridgend, local sports stars and potential future raised the flag, and in Pontypool paralympian Caroline Matthews help Torfaen council officials do the same.
In Pontypool paralympian Caroline Matthews will be on hand to help Torfaen council officials raise the Olympic handover flag
She will be flying out to Beijing on 29 August to take part in the Paralympics.She will be flying out to Beijing on 29 August to take part in the Paralympics.
"Playing wheelchair basketball for my country is simply the most amazing experience - but to play at the largest multi-sport tournament in the world, the Paralympics, is particularly incredible."Playing wheelchair basketball for my country is simply the most amazing experience - but to play at the largest multi-sport tournament in the world, the Paralympics, is particularly incredible.
"I went to the Athens Paralympics in 2004, but having watched the Beijing Olympic Opening Ceremony and some of the events so far, I am certain that the Beijing Paralympics will be even more fantastic - and I can't wait to get out there and get stuck into the competition," she added."I went to the Athens Paralympics in 2004, but having watched the Beijing Olympic Opening Ceremony and some of the events so far, I am certain that the Beijing Paralympics will be even more fantastic - and I can't wait to get out there and get stuck into the competition," she added.
In Wrexham a flag will be raised in Queens Square to mark the handing over of the Olympics to London for the 2012 Games. In Wrexham a flag was raised in Queens Square to mark the handing over of the Olympics to London for the 2012 Games.
Ken Matthews, who won gold in the walking event at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, will join mayor David Griffiths on the square to mark the event. Ken Matthews, who won gold in the walking event at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, joined mayor David Griffiths on the square to mark the event.
• Welsh Olympians will be welcomed home at the Senedd in Cardiff Bay on Tuesday. An open-top bus will tour Cardiff Bay from 1130BST, arriving at the home of the Welsh assembly at noon.• Welsh Olympians will be welcomed home at the Senedd in Cardiff Bay on Tuesday. An open-top bus will tour Cardiff Bay from 1130BST, arriving at the home of the Welsh assembly at noon.