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Gongs for our golden stars
Pippa Crerar and Kiran Randhawa in Beijing22.08.08
Britain's gold medal winners should be given honours for their Olympic success, Gordon Brown said today.
Team GB have picked up 42 medals, including 18 golds, their biggest haul since 1908. Now triple cycling champion Chris Hoy could be knighted and Rebecca Adlington, winner of two swimming golds, could get an OBE or CBE.
The Prime Minister praised the athletes for igniting huge enthusiasm for sport back home. Mr Brown, who landed in Beijing this morning, said: "I think the country will want to see our athletes honoured and I think the country will want to celebrate their successes and give them the permanent recognition."
He has already met Hoy and rower Katherine Grainger, and watched Britons in events including canoeing. "This has been a tremendous Games for Britain and you can't but feel the excitement here. I know from being in Britain the joy, exhilaration and the sense of achievement across the country as well," the Prime Minister said.
"Our challenge now is to turn what has been two weeks of great sporting success into 10 years of sporting pride for our country. We've got to prove that success is not just a oneoff, we've got to extend our domination in sports."
Sources said that the recommendations for honours would be made to the Queen, who is greeting the athletes at Buckingham Palace in October. Hoy appears almost certain to be knighted.Fellow cyclist Bradley Wiggins is also being considered for a CBE.
The Queen was said by the palace to be taking "a keen interest in the Olympics".
Mr Brown set out how he planned to help Britain win success at London 2012. He announced that £7 million to upgrade facilities for sports including rowing, diving, archery and gymnastics would be released immediately. Ministers have already pledged to double funding for elite sports from £265 million before Beijing to almost £600 million ahead of the London Games.
Britain took its 18th gold medal today as Tim Brabants won the 1000,m kayaking. And there was silver for Britain in the modern pentathlon as Heather Fell took second place. Team GB now has 13 silvers and 11 bronzes to go with its golds.
Reader views (4)
Why cannot i find any coverage of medal winner James Degale on your site -a young Londoner
- Julie Gascoigne, hartlepool
I can understand giving them a gong if they've achieved something particularly special or over a period of a number of Olympics but not for one-off medal winners.
Do you remember when England cricket team got gongs for beating the Aussies in a two-horse race for the first time in ages, after which they promptly reverted to type!
This just smacks of unpopular politicians trying to bask in other peoples glory. Sad to say that only sporting anoraks will be able to remember the names of most of our medals winners in two years time let alone when they compete, if in fact they do, in London
- Mark, South-East London
No they should not!
We have troops being killed and wounded everyday who are far more deserving. These people have been given vast amounts of money for doing something they enjoy and will have great memories of. Compare that to the limbless, blind or otherwise injured troops who will suffer PTSD along with many others of their comrades who have to rely on charity and the paltry amount given to them by 'a grateful people' Which one of those will get a Knighthood?
- Frank Sage, Holford, England
Yes congratulations to Team GB, they did an excellent job in Beijing. But is it not nauseating for the PM to cash in on their glory? What has the government done to support these athletes before all these medals? Any government sponsorships? Any financial support? No. Any future direct support? No. Gordon Brown would rather happily support the corrupt puppet drug peddling government in Kabul with £120 million of taxpayers money. Well at least he won't be PM come 2012.
- George, London, UK
