Britain’s Olympic heroes parading through the cheerful streets of London
Last updated 10/22/2008 12:16:55 PM
Britains Olympic heroes parading through the cheerful streets of London
Britain's Olympic heroes, feted by their British supporters in London on Thursday in a parade through the streets, named their own heroes this week.
They featured rock stars, coaches, family members, teachers and fellow athletes, all named as the personal inspirations of our very own Beijing Olympic heroes and heroines.
Ahead of Thursday's hugely successful parade of Olympic and Paralympic heroes through the sunny and packed streets of London the British Olympic Association asked the stars of Team GB to give a personal insight into the heroes they have been inspired by during their journey to Olympic achievement.
Canoeing gold medallist Tim Brabants chose to pay tribute to the unstinting service of his long term coach: "My hero is Eric Farrell. He has been my coach for the last 15 years and works on a voluntary basis whilst holding down a full time job. He is totally passionate about his role as a coach and has coached every Olympic medal winner and male flatwater athlete for the last four Olympic Games."
Team pursuit cycling Olympic Champion Paul Manning highlighted the incredible team spirit within the British cycling squad when he said: "My heroes are my team mates who I won gold with. I had the pleasure to see how hard they worked for it and the luck to be able to share the success with them."
Paul Goodison tasted Beijing Olympic success in the laser sailing class but counts American cyclist Lance Armstrong as his hero due to: "His sheer determination both in cycling and his fight against cancer."
Judo athlete Michelle Rogers looked back into her early childhood when picking her hero: "Mrs Ballard, my very first teacher who taught me between the age of four and six years old, is a hero of mine. She has since passed away, but the impact she had upon me still lives. She was a lovely, warm woman and even now, so many years since I left her class, to think of her evokes fond memories and warm sentiment."