THE GOLD ONE TWO
Champ Nicola Adams wins in the ring. Again
Olympic great Lord Menzies Campbell led calls for a public parade to honour Scotland’s Rio heroes yesterday.
The former Lib Dem leader – and sprint champion – says Scots should be allowed to celebrate the Olympians who lit up the summer after parades were announced in Manchester and London.
Campbell, who competed for Great Britain at the 1964 Games in Tokyo, spoke out after it emerged there are no plans for a party north of the Border like the one which followed London 2012.
He said Scots medal winners including tennis ace Andy Murray and rower Katherine Grainger should enjoy the same scenes of celebration that greeted athletes four years ago when they toured Edinburgh and Glasgow on an open-top bus.
Sportscotland have announced that Scotland’s Rio Olympians and Paralympians will be hailed at a function at Heriot-Watt University’s new 400- capacity Oriam centre on September 28, which will be screened online.
But Campbell said :“Why should the wonderful achievements of Scot t ish participants in the Olympic Games be denied the same kind of rapturous reception as they got after London 2012?
“I’m sure the public will want to have the chance to express their appreciation.”
Team GB have followed up on London 2012 with their most successful overseas Games ever.
As Brazil prepares for tonight’s closing ceremony, Scots competing for Team GB have won 12 medals – just one short of their 2012 haul.
Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie reckons hailing the returning heroes properly with another parade could help tackle childhood obesity. He said: “Our Olympic champions are punching so far above their weight that the least we can do is to have a public celebration in the high streets of Scotland.
“They’ve put blood, sweat and tears into these achievements and deserve our full admiration.
“Seeing these heroes with their own eyes could hopefully inspire others to go out and take up sport.”
Rennie added: “There should be an opportunity for everybody, whether they are a five-year- old REIGN ON OUR PARADE