Team GB enter the stadium during the London Olympic Games 2012 Opening Ceremony at the Olympic Stadium, London. Picture: Martin Rickett/PA Wire

London 2012: Athletes introduced during parade at Olympic Games

Sarah Shaffi, Olympics editor (news) Saturday, July 28, 2012
12:06 AM

Thousands of competitors took part in the athletes’ parade during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge sit with Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha during the London Olympic Games 2012 Opening Ceremony at the Olympic Stadium, London. Picture: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire

All 204 countries competing at this year’s Games took part in the parade, although some athletes who have early competitions did not attend.

Greece was the first team on, as per tradition because it is the home of the Olympic Games. Team GB, as the host nation’s team, was last on, led by flagbearer and cyclist Sir Chris Hoy.

The rest of the teams came on in alphabetical order. Among the flagbearers were Usain Bolt for Jamaica and Novak Djokovich for Serbia. Flagbearers stuck the flags in the model of Glastonbury Tor that was part of the opening scene of Danny Boyle’s ceremony.

All teams were accompanied by a child holding a copper petal inscribed with the name of their country and the words “XXX Olympiad London 2012”. The petals are to be used later in the ceremony.

The athlete’s parade took around 90 minutes to complete. Among those in the audience were heads of state.

For Britain, in addition to the Queen and Prince Phillip, the audience also contained the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry, and Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha.