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| Sochi 2014 champion Lizzy Yarnold given hero's welcome | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Hundreds of people turned out to give Winter Olympic champion Lizzy Yarnold a hero's welcome during an an open top bus parade in her honour. | |
| 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. | 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 crowds chanted "Lizzy, Lizzy". | |
| Posed for selfies | 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. | 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. | 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. | "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 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 gold medal was not just for me it was for everyone." |
| The bus also visited St Michael's School in Otford, where Yarnold was a pupil. | |
| The school has been painting its gates gold in her honour and invited the Olympian to paint the last section. | |
| Gold post box | Gold post box |
| The parade ended at West Kingsdown Primary School. | |
| Carpenter Terry Malone, from West Kingsdown, made a gold post box from wood to celebrate Yarnold's win, which residents posted messages of congratulations into. | |
| Mr Malone presented her with the post box after the parade. | |
| Yarnold said: "It just takes your breath away because so many people are here and shouting my name. | |
| "I didn't know that many people a few months ago. | |
| "I had about 300 friends on Facebook and suddenly people know my name. | |
| "That makes it for me. I don't want to sit at home polishing the medal at night. | |
| "It's about going out and meeting people and showing them that they can achieve their dreams as well." | |
| Her parents Judith and Clive and many of her friends were among those on the bus. | |
| Mrs Yarnold said she hoped her daughter's achievement would inspire the next generation of British medal winners. | |
| "I have been in tears seeing the little children singing," she said. | |
| "It just means so much and it is lovely to see." | |
| 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." |