Australia salutes Olympians despite disappointments

Australia yesterday officially welcomed home its Olympic team with a colourful parade led by a red London bus and featuring Brazilian dancers, despite the country’s worst showing in 20 years.

Thousands lined Sydney’s main George Street to wave flags and cheer on the sporting stars as they made their way to the Town Hall.

“It’s beautiful,” said basketball player Lauren Jackson, who carried Australia’s flag at the opening ceremony of the Games and whose team, the Opals, won the bronze medal.

“The support that we have from the Australian community has been unbelievable and to be walking through this is actually quite emotional right now for me.”

Australia’s medal haul was down on expectations, with just seven golds leaving the team with its worst victory tally since 1992.

The nation finished 10th on the medal table – a slump from its performance in Beijing where it claimed sixth position – leading to a rush of criticism that the team under performed.

Those who won medals were sporting them proudly around their necks during the parade, among them cyclist Anna Meares who won gold in London by pipping British arch-rival Victoria Pendleton.

The Australian team was given the keys to the City of Sydney, a gesture that Lord Mayor Clover Moore said was a fitting tribute.

“It is ceremonial and it is symbolic and it is a way of saying you are very, very special,” Moore said.