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London 2012: Flypast honours Olympics and Paralympics athletes London 2012: Flypast honours Olympics and Paralympics athletes
(35 minutes later)
Britain's Olympic and Paralympic athletes have been honoured with a flypast over Buckingham Palace, after a victory parade through London.Britain's Olympic and Paralympic athletes have been honoured with a flypast over Buckingham Palace, after a victory parade through London.
Thousands of spectators have lined the Mall, the day after the end of the London 2012 Paralympics. Thousands of spectators lined the Mall, the day after the end of the London 2012 Paralympics.
Some 800 competitors travelled on 21 floats which made their way past the huge crowds in London over two hours.
Rower Kath Grainger said "we could never have expected this" and swimmer Ellie Simmonds said it was "amazing".Rower Kath Grainger said "we could never have expected this" and swimmer Ellie Simmonds said it was "amazing".
Some 800 competitors are now watching a celebration of music and speeches. The post-parade event near the Queen Victoria Memorial kicked off with a flypast, led by the British Airways plane that initially brought the Olympic flame to the UK.
The event near the Queen Victoria Memorial kicked off with a flypast, led by the BA plane that brought the Olympic flame to the UK. It also featured the Red Arrows, performers, included Amy MacDonald and Pet Shop Boys, and speeches from athletes and the prime minister. The show also featured the Red Arrows, performances from Amy MacDonald, the Pet Shop Boys, and speeches from athletes and the prime minister.
'Greatest in the world'
Six-time gold medal-winning cyclist Sir Chris Hoy said: "I just didn't think it was possible to see so many people out on the streets supporting us... I want to say thank you.Six-time gold medal-winning cyclist Sir Chris Hoy said: "I just didn't think it was possible to see so many people out on the streets supporting us... I want to say thank you.
"It's been emotional... If you have to end an Olympic career anywhere this is the place to do it.""It's been emotional... If you have to end an Olympic career anywhere this is the place to do it."
More than 90% of Britain's medallists, including Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis, and Jonnie Peacock, have been travelling on 21 open-top floats through the city. During the event, Prime Minister David Cameron expressed his thanks to the athletes - who he called "the heroes".
He told them: "You have given us moments that we will never forget. The whole country salutes your brilliance."
Mr Cameron also thanked "all those who made this possible", including volunteers, the police, and the servicemen and women, who "proved again that you are the greatest in the world".
"Let that spirit that delivered these Games... live on for generations to come."
The prime minister introduced Princess Anne, president of the British Olympic Association. She told the crowd: "What a pleasure it has been to be president of BOA for a home Olympic Games.
After the thrill of their lorry-top ride through London, the athletes gathered at the centre of their host city took a quieter moment on the steps of the Queen Victoria Memorial.
As Pet Shop Boys played out, it took the track Go West, where the Olympics and Paralympics are headed next for Rio 2016, to get anyone moving.
It's been a summer of going faster, higher and stronger, so it was a strange moment of stillness outside the palace of That Queen, who "leapt" out of That Helicopter to begin Those Games.
You could still hear the roars for the athletes pictured on screen and the ever-thanked volunteers further down the Mall and in Trafalgar Square.
London Mayor Boris Johnson brought the speech laughs.
But unlike the flooded Mall of the Royal Wedding, the closing of the parade took place before "safe" armed forces, emergency services and Team GB support staff.
It was secure, but as the Games finally took a bow from London, it lacked a little of the city's chutzpah the UK had come to know and love.
"To see so many faces out there of the people who have been critical to producing the stages, platforms and support for these athletes is fantastic. This has been a really remarkable period of time."
Cyclist Sarah Storey said: "The athletes want to thank all the UK as without them we couldn't have done what we did to bring home all this bling."
More than 90% of Britain's medallists, including Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis, and Jonnie Peacock, paraded on 21 open-top floats through the city.
'Golden summer''Golden summer'
They have been grouped by their sports - and travelled in alphabetical order with archers and athletes on the first floats, and weightlifters and the water polo team at the rear - for what is being called "The Greatest Team Parade". They were grouped by their sports - and travelled in alphabetical order with archers and athletes on the first floats, and weightlifters and the water polo team at the rear.
After meeting a group of London 2012 Games Makers at 10 Downing Street, Prime Minister David Cameron said: "At the end of the most unbelievably successful Olympics and Paralympics, I just want to say what a golden summer of British sport it has been, and what a golden summer it's been for our country.
"I think it's given the country a tremendous lift, I think it's brought the country together."
More details on the victory paradeMore details on the victory parade
Parade organisers earlier warned there would be extensive road closures around the route, which started from Guildhall, in the City of London, and ends at The Mall. Speaking from her float, Olympic gold medallist in double sculls rowing Kath Grainger said: "We never really knew how many people would turn up, maybe we thought people would have gone back to work or been fatigued by the last month. But my word, we could never have expected this.
A big screen with live commentary, at the base of Nelson's Column, near the end of the route in Trafalgar Square, attracted hundreds of fans cheering on the athletes.
Speaking from her float, Olympic gold medallist in double sculls rowing Grainger said: "We never really knew how many people would turn up, maybe we thought people would have gone back to work or been fatigued by the last month. But my word, we could never have expected this.
"It is an amazing time to have a celebration with the Paralympic athletes too and a chance to say thank you to all the fans.""It is an amazing time to have a celebration with the Paralympic athletes too and a chance to say thank you to all the fans."
London 2012 double bronze medallist Rebecca Adlington - who has been travelling on the swimming float - said: "It's very noisy and crazy down here. We're not far in yet - we're on number 17 so we're quite far at the back. It is incredible. It is so loud." London 2012 double bronze medallist Rebecca Adlington - on the swimming float - said: "It's very noisy and crazy down here. We're not far in yet - we're on number 17 so we're quite far at the back. It is incredible. It is so loud."
From the equestrian float, GB rider Zara Phillips said: "This is unbelievable. To think everyone has come out for all of us is just amazing. We are so grateful to them."From the equestrian float, GB rider Zara Phillips said: "This is unbelievable. To think everyone has come out for all of us is just amazing. We are so grateful to them."
Paralympic swimmer Simmonds said: "It's amazing... to celebrate with the public, who are the ones that helped us have that home advantage during the Games." Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds said: "It's amazing... to celebrate with the public, who are the ones that helped us have that home advantage during the Games."
'Invaluable contribution''Invaluable contribution'
An area along The Mall, overlooking the parade finish, has been reserved for ticket-holders who made "an invaluable contribution to the Games and the success of our athletes", including 14,000 volunteers, members of the emergency services, military personnel, competitors' coaches, support staff, family and friends, as well as schoolchildren from every London borough. An area along The Mall, overlooking the parade finish, was reserved for ticket-holders who made "an invaluable contribution to the Games and the success of our athletes", including 14,000 volunteers, members of the emergency services, military personnel, competitors' coaches, support staff, family and friends, as well as schoolchildren from every London borough.
Olympic diving bronze medallist Tom Daley said: "Today really for me is about, and for the whole team, about going round and giving something back to all the sporting fans, all the people that supported us at the Olympic Games, at the Paralympic Games.Olympic diving bronze medallist Tom Daley said: "Today really for me is about, and for the whole team, about going round and giving something back to all the sporting fans, all the people that supported us at the Olympic Games, at the Paralympic Games.
"Hopefully, if we get lots of people out here today, it just really does give you a last kick of the Olympic buzz before it all finishes.""Hopefully, if we get lots of people out here today, it just really does give you a last kick of the Olympic buzz before it all finishes."
'Changed forever' The parade marked the end of eight weeks of Olympic and Paralympic events, which have put London at the centre of the sporting world.
Sunday's Paralympics closing ceremony, billed as a "festival of flame", saw Coldplay play songs from their five albums while disabled and non-disabled dancers performed with flares. In both the Olympics and Paralympics, the British teams finished third in the medals table. Team GB's Olympians notched up 29 golds, 17 silvers and 19 bronzes. Their Paralympian counterparts collected 34 golds, 43 silvers and 43 bronzes.
The normally businesslike and be-suited streets of the City were transformed into a cheering sea of red, white and blue. The final word of the event was reserved for London Mayor Boris Johnson who told the gathered athletes: "You brought this country together. You routed the doubters and for the first time in living memory, you caused tube passengers to break into spontaneous conversation."
Spectators roared names of Olympians and Paralympians alike as the floats glided past, and the sun came out at last to make those medals gleam ever brighter.
"Greg, Greg, Greg," they shouted as the smiling long-jumper Rutherford waved, holding his gold aloft on the third truck. "Ellie, woohoo" as Simmonds went past.
"I was born in 1948 so I felt I had to be here," said Erica Bright from Hampshire.
"I've grown to adore this Olympics, it's perfection, a utopian world with lots of lovely people everywhere."
Jane Dickinson and her mother Irene, 75, had caught the 6am train from Blackpool.
"It's our piece of the Olympics, so wonderful," said Jane.
The sold-out finale also featured performances from pop star Rihanna, rapper Jay-Z and a cast of around 1,200 performers on three circular stages - Summer, Winter and the Sundial.
Channel 4's coverage of the ceremony drew an average audience of 5.9 million, a quarter of the total TV audience at the time, and peaked at 7.7 million viewers - according to early "overnight" viewing figures.
The broadcaster's coverage of the final day's action also made it the most-watched channel on Sunday, beating BBC One and ITV1.
Declaring the 2012 Paralympics closed, International Paralympic Committee president, Sir Philip Craven, said: "These Games have changed us all forever."
He said they had been "unique and, without doubt, in my mind and those of the athletes, the greatest Paralympic Games ever".
Speaking to the 80,000-strong crowd, organising committee chairman Lord Coe said the UK would "never think of sport the same way and we will never think of disability the same way.
"The Paralympians have lifted the cloud of limitation."
Lord Coe added: "Finally, there are some famous words you can find stamped on the bottom of a product. Words, that when you read them, you know mean high quality, mean skill, mean creativity.
"We have stamped those words on the Olympic and Paralympic games of London 2012.
"London 2012. Made in Britain."
China finished top of the Paralympic medals table, with 231 medals - 95 gold. Great Britain cemented third place, behind Russia, with a tally of 120, including 34 golds.
After the Paralympic flag was passed to the Mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes, performers from Rio - which will stage the Games in 2016 - put on a colourful performance fusing hip-hop, freestyle and samba, performed by disabled and non-disabled dancers.
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