Parade for town's Olympic rowers

An open-top bus parade followed the row-past on the River Thames Enlarge Image

Thousands of people have lined the banks of the River Thames to watch 13 Olympic medallists from the same rowing club take part in a victory "row-past".

The rowers - all from the Leander Club in Henley-on-Thames - won medals in Beijing as part of Team GB.

Crowds cheered as the team rowed down the Henley Regatta course on Saturday.

Four-time Olympic rower Sir Matthew Pinsent then led the medallists on an open-top bus tour of the town, on the border of Oxfordshire and Berkshire.

Team GB's rowers won a total of six Olympic medals in Beijing - including gold for Steve Williams and Peter Reed, who were part of the winning men's fours team.

Thirteen came home with medals so I think for a little place that's something we can all be proud of Gold medallist Steve Williams

Anna Bebington, one half of the bronze medal-winning women's double scull team, participated in the parade, along with Steve Rowbotham and Matt Wells, who won bronze in the men's double scull.

Four-time gold medallist Sir Matthew told the BBC: "To see Henley exemplified by these people, having stood on Olympic podiums, then to be coming back to the town to say thanks is really special.

Thirteen rowers from the Leander Club in Henley won rowing medals in Beijing

"A lot of them have lived in the town, a lot of them worked in the town through their formative years, some of them have been to school and to college here."

Gold medallist Steve Williams said: "Out of the 43 GB rowers in Beijing, 15 of those were from Leander Club.

"Of those 15, 13 came home with medals so I think for a little place that's something we can all be proud of."

The open-top bus parade is due to be followed by an autograph-signing session and a reception for local schoolchildren at the town hall.

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version