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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Big welcome home for Paralympians | Big welcome home for Paralympians |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Hundreds of flag-waving children have welcomed Welsh members of the UK's Paralympics team home in Cardiff Bay. | Hundreds of flag-waving children have welcomed Welsh members of the UK's Paralympics team home in Cardiff Bay. |
| Youngsters from schools in south Wales and Heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones were outside the Senedd for the celebration of the athletes' success. | Youngsters from schools in south Wales and Heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones were outside the Senedd for the celebration of the athletes' success. |
| Welsh Paralympians returned with 10 gold, three silver and one bronze medal from the games in Beijing. | Welsh Paralympians returned with 10 gold, three silver and one bronze medal from the games in Beijing. |
| First Minister Rhodri Morgan recorded a special message to be played on a big screen during the event. | First Minister Rhodri Morgan recorded a special message to be played on a big screen during the event. |
| Pupils from Cardiff, Bridgend, Powys, the Vale of Glamorgan, Caerphilly and Rhondda Cynon Taf were invited to the celebration. | Pupils from Cardiff, Bridgend, Powys, the Vale of Glamorgan, Caerphilly and Rhondda Cynon Taf were invited to the celebration. |
| Kim Fonseca, 10, who attends St Cuthbert's RC School in Cardiff Bay, said she had enjoyed watching Pontypridd swimmer David Roberts the most and was excited to see the athletes. | Kim Fonseca, 10, who attends St Cuthbert's RC School in Cardiff Bay, said she had enjoyed watching Pontypridd swimmer David Roberts the most and was excited to see the athletes. |
| "It's exciting," she said. "I didn't know it was going to be this crowded. | "It's exciting," she said. "I didn't know it was going to be this crowded. |
| "The Paralympics were amazing; they were great," she said. We watched the Olympics and think we got a greater kick out of the Paralympics Thomas Linton | |
| Television presenter Angharad Mair started the celebration and paid tribute to the athletes, saying: "They did an absolutely fantastic job out in Beijing representing Team GB, 31 of them - 15% representing Wales." | Television presenter Angharad Mair started the celebration and paid tribute to the athletes, saying: "They did an absolutely fantastic job out in Beijing representing Team GB, 31 of them - 15% representing Wales." |
| The crowds were entertained by Fitzalan High School steel band and Radyr School Choir. | The crowds were entertained by Fitzalan High School steel band and Radyr School Choir. |
| The event included a procession led by a traditional Chinese dragon. | The event included a procession led by a traditional Chinese dragon. |
| Clifford Baralos, 71, of Llanedeyrn, Cardiff, who was with his wife Madeleine, said: "It's well worth supporting. We have got to give these people credit for what they have done. | Clifford Baralos, 71, of Llanedeyrn, Cardiff, who was with his wife Madeleine, said: "It's well worth supporting. We have got to give these people credit for what they have done. |
| "The swimmer David Roberts was outstanding. This isn't the first time he's done it. | "The swimmer David Roberts was outstanding. This isn't the first time he's done it. |
| "A lot of able-bodied athletes got more publicity for one gold medal than he's had for four." | "A lot of able-bodied athletes got more publicity for one gold medal than he's had for four." |
| Alun Ffred Jones said the athletes performed "fantastically well" in Beijing. | Alun Ffred Jones said the athletes performed "fantastically well" in Beijing. |
| "I'm pleased that we're providing a fitting recognition of how well they have done," he said.Kim Fonseca, 10, was among hundreds of children at the event | |
| "I'm looking at the banners in front of me and see the words 'congratulations, welcome home our heroes' and that says it all." | "I'm looking at the banners in front of me and see the words 'congratulations, welcome home our heroes' and that says it all." |
| Thomas Linton, 70, was with his wife Pamela, 68 both from Caerleon, said: "We have been watching it for the last couple of weeks and enjoyed every minute of it and thought we would come down here. | Thomas Linton, 70, was with his wife Pamela, 68 both from Caerleon, said: "We have been watching it for the last couple of weeks and enjoyed every minute of it and thought we would come down here. |
| "We watched the Olympics and think we got a greater kick out of the Paralympics." | "We watched the Olympics and think we got a greater kick out of the Paralympics." |
| Twenty-four of Wales' 31 Paralympians attended the celebration and were greeted with a huge roar from the crowd. | Twenty-four of Wales' 31 Paralympians attended the celebration and were greeted with a huge roar from the crowd. |
| Each of the athletes were then introduced to the crowd individually and were presented with flowers by 12-year-old Harri Jenkins, of Bryncoch, Neath. | Each of the athletes were then introduced to the crowd individually and were presented with flowers by 12-year-old Harri Jenkins, of Bryncoch, Neath. |
| Harri, who has cerebral palsy, is a swimmer who hopes to compete at future Paralympics. | Harri, who has cerebral palsy, is a swimmer who hopes to compete at future Paralympics. |
| The loudest cheer was reserved for swimmer David Roberts, whose four gold medals in Beijing took his Paralympic tally to 11 golds equalling that of Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson. | The loudest cheer was reserved for swimmer David Roberts, whose four gold medals in Beijing took his Paralympic tally to 11 golds equalling that of Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson. |
| Pupils from his former school, Bryn Celynnog near Pontypridd, were amongst groups of school children in the crowd. | Pupils from his former school, Bryn Celynnog near Pontypridd, were amongst groups of school children in the crowd. |
| Home crowd | |
| David Roberts said: "It was amazing, like nothing else I have experienced before. | David Roberts said: "It was amazing, like nothing else I have experienced before. |
| "It's just an honour to be welcomed like that and hopefully it will inspire more people to take up sport." | "It's just an honour to be welcomed like that and hopefully it will inspire more people to take up sport." |
| Roberts was asked whether he would compete at the 2012 Paralympics in London but was non-committal. | Roberts was asked whether he would compete at the 2012 Paralympics in London but was non-committal. |
| He said he wanted to enjoy his success first but admitted competing in front of a home crowd would be "super, super exciting". | He said he wanted to enjoy his success first but admitted competing in front of a home crowd would be "super, super exciting". |
| Rhodri Morgan paid tribute to David Roberts and also to Simon Richardson, the cyclist from Porthcawl. | Rhodri Morgan paid tribute to David Roberts and also to Simon Richardson, the cyclist from Porthcawl. |
| He said: "The Olympic gold rush was kicked off by a cyclist from Wick (Nicole Cooke) and the Paralympics was kicked off by a cyclist from Porthcawl...congratulations on everything you have done - you have really made us all feel proud of you." | He said: "The Olympic gold rush was kicked off by a cyclist from Wick (Nicole Cooke) and the Paralympics was kicked off by a cyclist from Porthcawl...congratulations on everything you have done - you have really made us all feel proud of you." |
| The proceedings were wrapped up by a rendition of the national anthem, led by pupils from Radyr. | The proceedings were wrapped up by a rendition of the national anthem, led by pupils from Radyr. |