London 2012 Olympics: ‘Britain, you guys did a great job’ – athletes fly home full of praise

THOUSANDS of athletes bade a fond farewell to London yesterday, paying tribute to organisers of the Olympic Games for a “fantastic” and “awesome” experience.

Competitors from around the world were among 200,000 passengers to pass through the city’s airports as they returned home after the fortnight-long sporting spectacle, with little disruption reported.

At Heathrow, a dedicated Games terminal was set up to provide athletes with a poignant reminder of the sporting spectacle.

They discovered the hub had been made up to resemble a London park, with a mock-up double-decker red bus and plants and park benches throughout. A tree athletes lets hang a message describing their best moment of the Games.

Gold medal winner Chris Brown, of the Bahamas, said: “I have been tremendously well looked after here in London.”

Brown, 33, who ran the first leg for the Bahamas’ 4x400m relay team, had been competing in his fourth Olympics, having picked up silver in Beijing in 2008 and bronze at Sydney in 2000.

He said: “These Games in London have been great. London has staged a fantastic Olympics. Everything has worked out well today, and this special terminal is a bit of fun.”

Kate Reisinger, the manager of the US women’s hockey team, who came 12th and last in the hockey, was happy to concentrate on the positive.

Ms Reisinger, flying home to Colorado Springs, said: “London has been so welcoming and everything has been so well organised.”

Two more gold medal-winners – Courtney Mathewson and Tumua Anae of the US water polo team – checked in for a flight home to California.

Anae, 23, said: “The Games were awesome. The people were so good to us. All the volunteers were so friendly and gave us a lot of support.

“I have to say to Britain – you guys did a great job.”

Mathewson, 25, said: “I loved London. Everything was perfect.”

Carmelina Moscato, 28, a member of the Canadian team who took bronze in football, was flying to Toronto. She said: “This has been one of the best experiences I could have wished for. It’s like being in dreamland. I could not have asked for more.”

Irish boxing gold medallist Katie Taylor was looking forward to seeing her grandmother, Kathleen Cranley.

Shortly before boarding a flight to Dublin, Taylor said: “The atmosphere when I fought was tremendous. It’s been an incredible Games, and I have been privileged to be part of it.”

Meanwhile, Dutch and French athletes also hailed the “perfect” Games as they returned home by Eurostar.

With a combined haul of 54 medals, the triumphant teams gathered at St Pancras station, before climbing aboard trains and waving goodbye to London and the 2012 Games.