JUBILANT TEAM GB HOME TO GLORIOUS WELCOME
GREAT Britain’s record-breaking Olympians jetted home yesterday to a heroes’ welcome and an emotional reunion with their families.
There were tears and cheers as 320 athletes and support staff arrived back after making history in Rio at the nation’s most successful Games in 108 years.
The Team GB stars landed at Heathrow at 9.46am on a BA Boeing 747 which had been fitted with a gold-coloured nose cone.
They had a hefty haul of extra luggage to declare – 67 medals: 27 gold, 23 silver and 17 bronze.
The tally is a national record for Games overseas and eclipses the 65 won at London 2012.
There were extraordinary scenes at Heathrow’s Terminal Five as athletes were greeted by tearful loved ones and hundreds of well-wishers crammed into every space and adorned with Union flags, banners and red, white and blue balloons.
Champagne
Diver Jack Laugher, who won a gold and silver, said: “Wow! That reception was crazy. Thank you Great Britain and everyone for all your support.”
Our athletes were in such high spirits they brushed aside the problem of having to reclaim luggage among hundreds of identical bags.
Windsurfing silver medallist Nick Dempsey, 36, posted a photo on social media and joked: “Mine’s the red one!!”
The team had celebrated with a carnival-style party on the 6,000mile flight. After taking their seats – with the gold medal winners upgraded to first class – the whole team were back on their feet as Captain Steve Hawkins played the national anthem on the Tannoy.
Everyone on the specially chartered jet joined in. Helen Glover, who won rowing gold in the women’s coxless pairs with Heather Stanning, tweeting: “Team GB just stood up before the flight left and belted out God Save The Queen as it played over the tannoy. Proud.”
The gold medal-winning hockey squad led the celebration as double-gold gymnast Max Whitlock, 23, entertained his team-mates with an impromptu pommel-horse display between two first class seats.
They saw off 77 bottles of champagne and watched the classic Olympics film Chariots Of Fire. After touching down, gold-medal winner Adam Peaty – who broke his own world record to win the 100m breaststroke – said: “The great thing about being British is you never walk alone and I just thought of all the people back home wanting me to succeed.”
Peaty, 21, showed off his medals in the cockpit. He added: “I’m patriotic. I love the Royal Family, I love every aspect of Britain and what we have achieved in history for such a small country. It just proves what we can do if we put our mind to it.”
Cycling’s golden girl Laura Trott says any future medals she wins will be in her married name.
Laura, 24, said: “It will be Laura Kenny. I’m changing it.” She and six-golds winner Jason Kenny have not yet set a wedding date.