The GB men’s basketball team were welcomed to Heathrow, London 2012’s host airport today by enthusiastic crowds and cheerleaders at Terminal 5.
The team returned home from Houston where they have been training for the last few weeks. Awaiting the unsuspecting players were huge cheering crowds all eager to catch a glimpse of the squad as they landed in the UK for the first time this year together.
Just outside the terminal fans shot hoops on a temporary basketball court as the players joined in to show them their skills. The players interacted with the public, had pictures with fans and signed autographs.
As Official Host Airport for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Heathrow is expecting to help with the journeys of around 80 per cent of the several hundred thousand spectators due to attend including more than 100,000 athletes, sponsors and VIPs.
The airport is encouraging passengers to look out for athletes as they make their way to the Games and enormous screens showing the events from the Olympic venues will ensure there is no danger of missing any of the sporting action. A host of other live events are planned including:
- A pre-Games appearance by the British Basketball team with the opportunity for passengers to meet the players
- Airport walkabouts by official Olympic mascots Mandeville and Wenlock in their red Beefeater and Queen’s Guard costumes
- Ping-pong tables installed on each terminal forecourt so travellers can try their hand at the game
- Giant globes to help younger travellers pinpoint key destinations
- Appearances by iconic Beefeaters and Queen’s Guards in their bearskin hats
- Live performances by the Salvation Army brass band
- Olympic-themed art exhibitions in the Terminal 5 Fine Art Gallery adding an unexpected dimension to passengers’ journeys and the opportunity to buy original pieces
· Heathrow Airport is the Host Airport of the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games
· The airport will welcome and farewell around 80 per cent of the several hundred thousand London 2012 family and spectators expected to attend the Games
· Heathrow has invested in excess of £20m in London 2012 to ensure the airports run business as usual for all travellers
