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London parade caps 45-day Games gala
Source: Agencies |
September 11, 2012, Tuesday
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Print Edition
TENS of thousands of Britons took to the streets of London yesterday to cheer Olympic and Paralympic athletes, celebrating a summer of spectacular sport that surprised even the most optimistic by lifting the host nation's mood.
In scenes reminiscent of the Royal Jubilee and the 2011 wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, flag-waving fans crammed into the city center to cheer the likes of Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis and David Weir.
Some 800 athletes rode atop 21 floats past many of the landmarks that made up the backdrop to the London Games, a day after the Paralympic closing ceremony brought an end to the 45-day festival of sport.
"It's been fantastic," said Sophie Edwards, 39, alongside her four-year-old daughter Hannah. "It's been very inspiring - such a good message for the younger generation."
The sense of national pride generated by the successful running of the world's biggest sporting event contrasts with the sense of foreboding that built up before the Games, with the media questioning whether a country still in recession should be paying US$14 billion to host a sports event.
Instead the Games were deemed to have given Britain a much-needed lift, although, with years of austerity ahead, questions remain over how long the feel-good factor will last.
In scenes reminiscent of the Royal Jubilee and the 2011 wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, flag-waving fans crammed into the city center to cheer the likes of Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis and David Weir.
Some 800 athletes rode atop 21 floats past many of the landmarks that made up the backdrop to the London Games, a day after the Paralympic closing ceremony brought an end to the 45-day festival of sport.
"It's been fantastic," said Sophie Edwards, 39, alongside her four-year-old daughter Hannah. "It's been very inspiring - such a good message for the younger generation."
The sense of national pride generated by the successful running of the world's biggest sporting event contrasts with the sense of foreboding that built up before the Games, with the media questioning whether a country still in recession should be paying US$14 billion to host a sports event.
Instead the Games were deemed to have given Britain a much-needed lift, although, with years of austerity ahead, questions remain over how long the feel-good factor will last.
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