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Sochi 2014 champion Lizzy Yarnold parade under way in Sevenoaks | |
(about 9 hours later) | |
Hundreds of people have lined the streets of Kent to watch Winter Olympic champion Lizzy Yarnold take part in an open top bus parade. | |
The 25-year-old, from West Kingsdown, near Sevenoaks, won Great Britain's only gold medal at the Sochi Games in the women's skeleton. | The 25-year-old, from West Kingsdown, near Sevenoaks, won Great Britain's only gold medal at the Sochi Games in the women's skeleton. |
Young and old turned out in Sevenoaks to cheer Yarnold as the union flag-decked Routemaster started its journey. | |
It then moved to Riverhead where school children chanted "Lizzy, Lizzy". | |
Posed for selfies | |
After the bus travelled back to Sevenoaks she presented a student at Knole Academy with a sporting trophy and accepted a piece of artwork that had been made for her. | |
She also posed for selfies with some of the pupils. | |
"Before today my job was to get a gold medal," she told a cheering crowd. | |
"The best thing is seeing people like you because I know how much it means to everyone else. | |
"The gold medal was not just for me it was for everyone." | |
The bus has also visited St Michael's School in Otford, where Yarnold was a pupil. | |
It has been painting its gates gold in her honour and was due to invite the Olympian to paint the last section. | |
Gold post box | |
The parade, which will move into the Brands Hatch motor racing circuit later, is expected to end at West Kingsdown Primary School at 14:30 GMT. | |
Carpenter Terry Malone, from West Kingsdown, made a gold post box from wood to celebrate Yarnold's win, which residents have posted messages of congratulations into. | |
Mr Malone is due to present her with the post box after the bus comes to a halt. | |
Before the parade, Yarnold said: "Winning Olympic Gold really has been a dream come true and I am so excited about touring my home village and the Sevenoaks District to thank all those people who have supported me. | |
"I can't wait to go and visit some of the local schools, show off the gold medal and thank them all for cheering so loudly during the races - it really did help." | |
Peter Fleming, leader of Sevenoaks District Council, said: "Lizzy's hard work, drive and sacrifice to become an Olympic champion is an inspiration to us all." | Peter Fleming, leader of Sevenoaks District Council, said: "Lizzy's hard work, drive and sacrifice to become an Olympic champion is an inspiration to us all." |