Hi °C | Lo °C Olympic hero Chris Hoy made a triumphant return to his home city this morning, joining his fellow Scottish Beijing stars for an official reception at Edinburgh Castle.
The city’s Lord Provost told the cyclist the city was “proud and inspired” by his achievements.
Silver medallists Katherine Grainger, Ross Edgar and David Florence were also among those present at the event in the capital this morning.
The athletes will later set off on an open-top bus ride down the historic Royal Mile to Holyrood Park.
Scotland’s Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Louise Martin, chair of Sportscotland, were also at the castle to welcome the athletes back.
“Chris Hoy is now Scotland’s most successful ever Olympian and everyone in Edinburgh is immensely proud of him,” Lord Provost George Grubb said today.
“Watching him power to victory three times in Beijing was truly inspirational and the city’s open-top bus parade gives as many people as possible the chance to join in the celebrations.
“I’m sure that Edinburgh will give all of the winning medallists a fantastic welcome home.”
Track cyclist Hoy, 32, was the first Briton for 100 years to win three golds at a single Olympics – and became Scotland’s greatest Olympian in the process.
The Edinburgh athlete, dubbed The Flying Scotsman, won his gold medals in the men’s sprint, the team sprint and the Keirin in Beijing.
He had also won a gold at the Athens Games in 2004 in the 1km time trial. Sturgeon said today: “Very few athletes achieve the honour of being selected to represent their country as an Olympian and I am sure that all of Scotland will join me in congratulating the very successful Team GB, its 32 Scottish members and our four Scots medallists.”
The SNP government in Scotland caused a stir by repeating its call for a separate Scottish Olympic team.
