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| Cooke's Olympic gold celebrated | Cooke's Olympic gold celebrated |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| As Welsh cyclist Nicole Cooke took Britain's first Olympic gold medal of 2008, people living in her home village celebrated her victory. | As Welsh cyclist Nicole Cooke took Britain's first Olympic gold medal of 2008, people living in her home village celebrated her victory. |
| Her parents and friends watched her win the gruelling race at their home in Wick in the Vale of Glamorgan. | Her parents and friends watched her win the gruelling race at their home in Wick in the Vale of Glamorgan. |
| An impromptu party was then arranged at their local pub, the Lamb and Flag, to toast the 25-year-old. | |
| Cooke was the first Welsh athlete to claim a gold medal at the Olympics since 1972. | Cooke was the first Welsh athlete to claim a gold medal at the Olympics since 1972. |
| Speaking from the family home, her mother Denise Cooke said: "I'm very, very excited and I just can't take it in at the moment. | Speaking from the family home, her mother Denise Cooke said: "I'm very, very excited and I just can't take it in at the moment. |
| Nicole Cooke won the first British gold medal in the 2008 Olympics In pictures: Gold medal celebrations | Nicole Cooke won the first British gold medal in the 2008 Olympics In pictures: Gold medal celebrations |
| "It is such a fantastic achievement for Nicole and she has worked so hard over the last few years and we are very pleased for her. | "It is such a fantastic achievement for Nicole and she has worked so hard over the last few years and we are very pleased for her. |
| "This was the ultimate goal for her. She has done a lot of hard work and preparation to achieve this ambition of hers and she has come up with a result. | "This was the ultimate goal for her. She has done a lot of hard work and preparation to achieve this ambition of hers and she has come up with a result. |
| "It was never in doubt for us. | "It was never in doubt for us. |
| "There was a lot of nervous tension in the house from me, Tony (Nicole's father) and her brother but I think she has done a lot of homework and studied videos and prepared very well for this. | "There was a lot of nervous tension in the house from me, Tony (Nicole's father) and her brother but I think she has done a lot of homework and studied videos and prepared very well for this. |
| "We spoke to her briefly after the race and it was just so great to talk to her." | "We spoke to her briefly after the race and it was just so great to talk to her." |
| Lyn Merrick from Llanblethian near Cowbridge and just a short distance from Wick watched Cooke's victorious race on the television with her husband. | Lyn Merrick from Llanblethian near Cowbridge and just a short distance from Wick watched Cooke's victorious race on the television with her husband. |
| She said: "She deserved it. She has worked very hard." | She said: "She deserved it. She has worked very hard." |
| Lyn Merrick has known Nicole Cooke since she was a child | Lyn Merrick has known Nicole Cooke since she was a child |
| Mrs Merrick, 65, is a member of Cardiff AJAX Cycling club where Cooke first began training and has known Wales' newest Olympian since the age of 12. | Mrs Merrick, 65, is a member of Cardiff AJAX Cycling club where Cooke first began training and has known Wales' newest Olympian since the age of 12. |
| "She is a very nice person, there are no airs or graces on her. | "She is a very nice person, there are no airs or graces on her. |
| "You could see she was determined to win she always wanted to come first. | "You could see she was determined to win she always wanted to come first. |
| "You will often see her out here when she is home she will always wave and shout, she's a lovely girl," she added. | "You will often see her out here when she is home she will always wave and shout, she's a lovely girl," she added. |
| Barmaid at the Lamb and Flag pub Hannah Thomas said the efforts Cooke had put into practising had paid off. | Barmaid at the Lamb and Flag pub Hannah Thomas said the efforts Cooke had put into practising had paid off. |
| A party at the Lamb and Flag pub was hastily arranged | A party at the Lamb and Flag pub was hastily arranged |
| "We used to see her out on her bike in all weathers everyone here is so proud. | "We used to see her out on her bike in all weathers everyone here is so proud. |
| "She stood out, a girl, riding her bike, nothing would put her off. | "She stood out, a girl, riding her bike, nothing would put her off. |
| "I'm really pleased, she showed such motivation from such a young age, it is wonderful it has paid off for her." | "I'm really pleased, she showed such motivation from such a young age, it is wonderful it has paid off for her." |
| Phil Thomas 57, a lifelong Wick resident, who went to the pub for the celebrations said: "It has put the village on the map in the best possible way. | Phil Thomas 57, a lifelong Wick resident, who went to the pub for the celebrations said: "It has put the village on the map in the best possible way. |
| "What she had achieved is phenomenal. It is an example of what a young person can do with family support." | "What she had achieved is phenomenal. It is an example of what a young person can do with family support." |