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London 2012: Games set for grand finale London 2012: Games set for grand finale
(40 minutes later)
London will bid a spectacular farewell to the 2012 Olympics with a closing ceremony showcasing British music. A spectacular closing ceremony showcasing British music will draw the curtain on the 2012 London Olympics, hailed as "fabulous" by Games chiefs.
The finale will feature about 4,000 performers alongside artists such as George Michael and the Spice Girls. The finale, starting at 2100 BST, will feature about 4,000 performers alongside artists such as George Michael and the Spice Girls.
The US topped the final medal table with 46 golds, followed by China with 38 golds. GB came third with 29 golds - their best tally for 104 years. The 16 days of competition have been the most successful for Team GB in 104 years, with a tally of 29 golds.
The Queen said Team GB's "outstanding" performance had "inspired a new generation of Olympians". The Queen said Team GB's "outstanding" performance had "inspired" the country.
In a special message, she congratulated all the British and Commonwealth athletes who had taken part and said they had "truly captured the public's imagination and earned their admiration".In a special message, she congratulated all the British and Commonwealth athletes who had taken part and said they had "truly captured the public's imagination and earned their admiration".
On the final day of competition, Boxer Anthony Joshua secured the 29th gold for Team GB earlier with victory in the super-heavyweight class.
And in the very last event of the Games, Samantha Murray claimed silver for Britain in the women's modern pentathlon. Lithuania's Laura Asadauskaite took the gold.
In all, 44 world records have been set during London 2012, and 117 Olympic records broken.
Musical journeyMusical journey
Closing ceremony artistic director Kim Gavin has described the event, which will start at 21:00 BST and focus on 50 years of British music, as a "mashed-up symphony".Closing ceremony artistic director Kim Gavin has described the event, which will start at 21:00 BST and focus on 50 years of British music, as a "mashed-up symphony".
The park is in shutdown and the final spectators have been making their way home.The park is in shutdown and the final spectators have been making their way home.
The last of the French fans were stragglers, up at the basketball and handball finals arena, singing La Marseillaise to their gold-medal winning team and mashing it up with the White Stripes Seven Nation Army.The last of the French fans were stragglers, up at the basketball and handball finals arena, singing La Marseillaise to their gold-medal winning team and mashing it up with the White Stripes Seven Nation Army.
Very London 2012.Very London 2012.
Tens of thousands of closing ceremony spectators have been shut out of the main stadium. They were standing on the greenway, the concourses and bridges as they waited to go in for Sunday's finale.Tens of thousands of closing ceremony spectators have been shut out of the main stadium. They were standing on the greenway, the concourses and bridges as they waited to go in for Sunday's finale.
An aural preview for them but not a visual one. Rehearsals were still under way here in the stadium, right up to the last minute and the sounds were spilling out across the park. Now they can take their seats.An aural preview for them but not a visual one. Rehearsals were still under way here in the stadium, right up to the last minute and the sounds were spilling out across the park. Now they can take their seats.
So the moment has come. The last hurrah of very many hurrahs during the last two weeks. Time to celebrate, extinguish, hand over.So the moment has come. The last hurrah of very many hurrahs during the last two weeks. Time to celebrate, extinguish, hand over.
Mr Gavin said it will showcase "British creativity in the arts" and take people on a musical journey from Elgar to Waterloo Sunset in 30 tracks.Mr Gavin said it will showcase "British creativity in the arts" and take people on a musical journey from Elgar to Waterloo Sunset in 30 tracks.
Among the acts confirmed to be performing are George Michael, the Spice Girls and rapper Tinie Tempah.Among the acts confirmed to be performing are George Michael, the Spice Girls and rapper Tinie Tempah.
Mr Gavin explained that while the nation flags would process in, the athletes would come in as "friends" to form a "mosh pit" for the show. Mr Gavin explained that while the national flags would process in, the athletes would come in together as "friends" rather than country-by-country as in the Opening Ceremony.
During the ceremony, sailor Ben Ainslie, a four-time Olympic gold medallist, will carry the flag for Great Britain. During the three-hour event, sailor Ben Ainslie, a four-time Olympic gold medallist, will carry the flag for Great Britain.
The Olympic flame will be extinguished and the figurative baton passed to the organisers of the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, who will also make a presentation celebrating their multicultural roots.The Olympic flame will be extinguished and the figurative baton passed to the organisers of the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, who will also make a presentation celebrating their multicultural roots.
'Holy day' World records
It was a successful final day for Team GB, with boxer Anthony Joshua ensuring a golden end to the 16-day competition with victory in his super-heavyweight bout. It was a successful final day for Team GB, with boxer Anthony Joshua securing the 29th gold with victory after a dramatic super-heavyweight bout.
The 22-year old from London beat Italian Roberto Cammarelle to win Britain's 29th gold of the Games. The 22-year old from London beat Italian Roberto Cammarelle.
Reacting to his win, Joshua said "Sunday is a holy day and I have been blessed". Welsh fighter Fred Evans had to settle for silver in his welterweight bout against Serik Sapiyev from Kazakhstan and in the very last event of the Games, Samantha Murray came second for Britain in the women's modern pentathlon.
He added: "That medal represents my journey and the support from my team. It is much more than a gold medal, it is a life experience." As the Olympics drew to a close, the US topped the final medal table with 46 golds, followed by China with 38 golds. GB came third with 29 golds - their best tally since 1908.
A post-bout appeal against Joshua's victory by the Italian team was rejected after a countback by the judges. In all, href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/davidbond/2012/08/how_can_rio_follow_london.html#more" >44 world records have been set during London 2012, and 117 Olympic records broken.
Welsh fighter Fred Evans had to settle for silver in his welterweight bout against Serik Sapiyev from Kazakhstan. Among those to have set new world bests included Kenyan David Rudisha in the men's 800m and the Jamaican sprint relay team, one of three golds during the Games for Usain Bolt.
Meanwhile, with the sun shining, thousands of people lined the streets of London to watch Uganda's Stephen Kiprotich run to men's marathon victory. US swimmer Michael Phelps became the most decorated Olympian in history while cyclist Sir Chris Hoy's two gold medals meant he became the most successful British Olympian of all time.
Crowds also packed the live site at London's Hyde Park, to watch the sporting action on the big screens and enjoy a farewell concert headlined by Blur.
In other developments:In other developments:
'Lifted country'
  • Uganda's Stephen Kiprotich ran to victory in the men's marathon
  • Chris Hoy said he would take a few weeks off before deciding on his future, telling the BBC that competing in the 2014 Commonwealth Games would be a "dream end" to his career
    •
  • David Cameron appointed the head of Locog, Lord Coe, as the UK's Olympics legacy ambassador
  • Crowds packed the live site at London's Hyde Park, to watch the sporting action on the big screens and enjoy a farewell concert headlined by Blur
    •
  • Saturday Olympic TV viewing figures show 15.9 million people watched diver Tom Daley win bronze and 12.9 million people watched Mo Farah win the 5,000m
  • Mo Farah told the BBC being a double-Olympic champion was "unbelievable" and hearing the crowd cheering his name was "the best feeling ever".
'Lifted country'
Mr Cameron said the Olympics had been an "extraordinary few weeks" which had "lifted the whole country and there was a "huge opportunity" to build the legacy for the Games. Prime Minister David Cameron said British athletes had inspired people up and down the country, and he confirmed elite funding for Olympic sports would be maintained at £125m until 2016.
He said legacy had been "built into the DNA of London 2012 from the very beginning" and he was "determined to make the most of the economic opportunities on offer from hosting the Games - making sure that we turn these Games into gold for Britain". "You don't just have gold, silver and bronze, you've got gold dust, and that is the most valuable thing in the world," he told athletes at at Team GB's headquarters in the Olympic Village.
"So please get into our schools, get into our sports clubs, get into the most deprived communities in this country. Tell people about all they can do and all they can be."
The Queen also praised the organisers of the Games and the thousands of volunteers at London 2012 whose "warm welcome" had "epitomised the Olympic spirit".The Queen also praised the organisers of the Games and the thousands of volunteers at London 2012 whose "warm welcome" had "epitomised the Olympic spirit".
The International Olympics Committee president Jacques Rogge said he was "very happy" with the Games, and he was a "very happy and grateful man".The International Olympics Committee president Jacques Rogge said he was "very happy" with the Games, and he was a "very happy and grateful man".
"It has been a dream for sports lovers," he said, adding that history had been made by many athletes."It has been a dream for sports lovers," he said, adding that history had been made by many athletes.
The revamped 560-acre (227-hectare) Olympic Park site - to be known as the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park - is set to reopen in stages starting on the first anniversary of the opening of the Games, on 27 July 2013.The revamped 560-acre (227-hectare) Olympic Park site - to be known as the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park - is set to reopen in stages starting on the first anniversary of the opening of the Games, on 27 July 2013.
Where will you be watching the Olympic Closing ceremony tonight? Have your views about the Olympics changed? Send us your comments using the form below.Where will you be watching the Olympic Closing ceremony tonight? Have your views about the Olympics changed? Send us your comments using the form below.
Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here.Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here.
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