Triumph and joy of Olympics will live on pledges Cameron

David Cameron said that the Games – the most successful in a century for Britain’s athletes – would bring long-term benefits in billions in business deals, as well as new sports facilities, more volunteering and continued sporting excellence.

The pledge came as the Games, which have captivated millions worldwide, were brought to a climax with a glittering closing ceremony featuring the cream of British music from the past five decades.

The president of the International Olympic Committee Jacques Rogge declared himself a “very happy and grateful man” following the games and praised the British public whom he said had been “fantastic and exceptional” in the way they had embraced the event.

The Queen, who played such a memorable role in the opening ceremony of the Games, congratulated the athletes of Great Britain and the Commonwealth, saying their efforts had “captured the public’s imagination and earned their admiration”.

London 2012 proved to be Britain’s most successful Olympics for 108 years with Team GB finishing third in the medal table behind the United States and China with 65 medals overall, 29 golds, 17 silver and 19 bronze.

Yorkshire’s athletes played a central role with a total of 12 Olympic medals – more than many countries – including seven gold, two silver and three bronze.

Tourism chiefs are hoping that the tally, which would see Yorkshire 12th in the medal table if it were an independent country, will bring more visitors in to the region.

On Saturday night, Hull boxer Luke Campbell added a seventh gold medal to Yorkshire’s tally, joining the elite ranks of Leeds boxer Nicola Adams, Sheffield heptathlete Jessica Ennis, Leeds triathlete Alistair Brownlee, Huddersfield cyclist Ed Clancy, Yorkshire Dales rower Andy Triggs-Hodge and North Yorkshire rower Kat Copeland.

Other memorable moments for Britain’s athletes included Mo Farah’s historic 5,000m and 10,000m double gold, Andy Murray’s gold in the Men’s Tennis Singles and Sir Chris Hoy’s unprecedented sixth gold in the velodrome.

Earlier in the day Farah joined international politicians and sporting greats at a “hunger summit” in Downing Street.

The Prime Minister hopes to secure sufficient commitments from leaders and multinational firms to help to prevent 25 million children under five suffering stunted growth by the time of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Farah, who has set up his own charity to raise money to help the victims of the severe drought in the Horn of Africa, arrived at Number 10 to cheers after his achievements and said: “I’m lucky to have set up a new life here, and growing up here, after being in Somalia as a little boy but there are kids out there facing hunger and starvation and we’ve got to do something about it.”

Earlier in the day Mr Cameron defended his decision to put competitive sport on the primary school curriculum rather than restore a two-hour weekly target set by Labour which he said had led to children being taught dancing rather than team sports.

“We are saying out with the bureaucratic, anti-risk, all must have prizes culture which has led to a death of competitive sport in too many schools and in with 
the belief that competition is healthy, that winning and losing is an important part of growing 
up.

“Right now the national curriculum doesn’t include the words ‘competitive sport’ and I think that’s a mistake.

“I am a parent of three children altogether – but two who are in a London state school that doesn’t even have a green space for the kids to play on.”

Looking back on the Games themselves, praised as the best ever in many circles, Mr Cameron said: “Even at this stage one thing is clear: this is a truly great country.”