Paula Radcliffe, Steve Cram and Ben Ainslie today poured praise on the London 2012 bid team after the Olympic Games were awarded to the capital.
The British sporting greats were joined by non-Olympians including England cricket captain Michael Vaughan, England rugby stars Martin Johnson and Jonny Wilkinson, and football legend Gary Lineker - all united in celebration after London pipped Paris on a dramatic day in Singapore.
London's bid team, chaired by Lord Sebastian Coe, won the poll of International Olympic Committee members by 54 votes to the 50 received by Paris.
World marathon record-holder Radcliffe, one of the leading ambassadors for the London 2012 bid, was quick to express her delight.
Radcliffe, who will be 38 in 2012, told the Press Association: "I am really, really pleased. I knew Paris had a great bid but I hoping and finally confident, we would be successful.
"Seb's presentation was so much better than that of Paris. He and his team have a done an outstanding job and I want to offer them my congratulations for a job done so professionally and well.
"London will put on a brilliant Games, And yes, if I'm not crocked I hope to be running there."
Sports minister Richard Caborn could not hide his delight.
"This is absolutely fantastic, stunning, something worthwhile, unbelievable," he told the Press Association.
"This bid has been a really uniting force for Britain and we owe a big, big thank you to everyone in the country.
"We also owe a huge debut of gratitude to the team who have worked together so well."
And Princess Anne, an IOC member herself, gave royal approval to London's victory.
She believes the Games will provide a superb sporting legacy for Britain and told ITV News: "It is about motivating young people, it is about inspiring people, all our athletes.
"There is a common theme that all the young athletes will be inspired."
Olympic silver medallist Cram, chairman of the English Institute for Sport, hailed the successful bid as "fantastic news".
"This is the greatest opportunity British sport has ever been presented with," he said.
"We need to cut through the euphoria, and concentrate on our definitive task - winning medals."
Double Olympic sailing gold medallist Ainslie added: "It is fantastic news that London will host the 2012 Games.
"It will be great to have the games on home ground because my family, friends and all the Olympic fans can enjoy the games here."
Despite cricket not currently figuring on the roster of Olympic sports, Lord's will host the archery events in 2012, and Vaughan said: "I believe that sport in this country will benefit enormously with London hosting the Olympics.
"It's a great honour and something we can take great pride in as a country."
The MCC, owners of Lord's, were just as enthusiastic.
Their secretary and chief executive, Roger Knight said: "We congratulate Lord Coe and his colleagues in the London 2012 team - they have run a superb campaign and fully deserve this success. We look forward to working with them on the archery arrangements for 2012."
Johnson, who led England to rugby World Cup glory in 2003, said: "Getting the Games is fantastic and Seb Coe and his team did an awesome job to make London 2012 a reality. I can't wait."
Wilkinson, who kicked the decisive drop goal in the World Cup final, added: "London 2012 will be a brilliant sporting event and something for us all to be very proud of."
Lineker, now equally well known as a presenter as a footballer, predicted: "The Games will inspire the nation and give us the ability to showcase all that is great about Britain."
Even a Rolling Stone was quick to offer congratulations to the team in Singapore.
Sir Mick Jagger said: "It is fantastic news. It has been a long wait but the Olympics are coming home at last. The Games will be great for London and the entire nation and will ensure sport is celebrated and enjoyed by the next generation."
Although there is unlikely to be a British football team in the Games, the new Wembley Stadium will be the focal point of the sport during the tournament, and the Premier League were among the first to hail the success of the bid.
Wimbledon will host the tennis tournament, and LTA chief executive John Crowther will welcome the Olympians to SW19, in the hope it will inspire a new generation of Tim Henmans and Andy Murrays.
"From tennis' perspective, having the Olympic tennis tournament played at the world's most famous tennis club in Wimbledon will undoubtedly inspire an entire generation of new tennis players," said Crowther.
British Swimming chief executive David Sparkes has spoken of his delight and the benefits it will bring to the sport.
"This will provide tremendous impetus for swimming in Great Britain," said Sparkes, in Singapore as part of the delegation.
"The work on constructing the Olympic pool in Stratford will start immediately and good progress has already been made on the design which is absolutely stunning and world class."
"It is a great day for London and a great day for sport. This is destined to become a catalyst for sport and swimming to move forward in Great Britain."
Four-times Olympic rowing gold medallist Matthew Pinsent, welcoming London's triumph, told Sky Sports News: "I'm a bit in shock, a bit numb. It's absolutely massive what we've achieved today and so proud of the country we represent.
"It's a tiny amount between winning and losing and we did so much of that (winning) today. The presentation team played a massive role. They presented to within an inch of their lives.
"We've got a delegation of around 200 out here and many more back home who have worked so hard.
"There are so many kids who have now got an Olympics Games in their future at home and that's so exciting. It's the beginning of something huge.
"A London Games will be the biggest thing for sport that there's ever been. We've produced the best quality bid and now we start a seven-year campaign to produce the best Games we can."
Olympic gold medalist Sally Gunnell said it was a "fantastic feeling" to know London would be hosting the Games in 2012.
She told Sky News: "You're going to get 15-year-olds at the moment saying I want to be at those Olympics they've got an opportunity now to take part, if not going to see it."
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England's rugby World Cup-winning captain Martin Johnson said: "Getting the Games is fantastic and Seb Coe and his team did an awesome job to make London 2012 a reality. I cant wait."
His ex-team mate Jonny Wilkinson added: "London 2012 will be a brilliant sporting event and something for us all to be very proud of."
Olympic gold medallist Stephanie Cook said the games would be "awesome".
The pentathlete said: "Competing in an Olympics for Britain was a huge honour but to have the Games in London is something extra special for everyone. London 2012 will be awesome."
Former England cricket captain Michael Atherton said: "London 2012 will be a sporting landmark and will unite the nation in a celebration of everything that is great about Britain."
Ex-cricketer and commentator David Gower said 2012 "will be one of the most important years in our history," adding that it will be a "towering success".
England football coach Sven-Goran Eriksson said: "It's an exciting day and a long day but the presentation London did this afternoon was absolutely top class.
"It talked about sport, young people and the future of the Olympics movement.
"It is fantastic. Congratulations to London, Seb Coe and his team who have two years for this and have been extremely professional.
"It (London) is my city now. I live there and work there and I am very, very happy."
And the England manager predicted that Britain would have to find a way to send a unified Great Britain football team to the Games.
He said: "Of course, Britain having the Olympic Games at home, they will have to have a football team.
"They must resolve that one one way or another. Having the Olympic Games and not to have a football team, that would be crazy."
Around 600 supporters of the London Bid cheered and waved Olympic flags when the announcement was transmitted live to screens at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, in Portland, Dorset.
John Tweed, director of development at the Academy, said: "We have some of the best sailing in the world. We have just built a world class sailing centre so we know we can put in a first class Olympic regatta and play our part in some of the best Olympic Games ever."
Joe Glanfield, silver winner in the 470 sailing at the Olympics in Athens, said he has trained in Weymouth since he was a boy.
"The opportunity to compete in the Olympics in your own country is an amazing opportunity for all the sailors and hopefully if the British sailing team carry on with what they started in Athens then they should get some pretty good results in Weymouth."
The 25-year-old from Exmouth in Devon added: "All the sailing events will be held in Weymouth which is going to be unbelievable.
"It's going to be fantastic for the area because what people don't realise is sailing is a sport where you have to get used to the conditions. Not only is it a good thing for the British team but also other nationals will be coming here to train over the next seven years so it will be excellent for the local economy."
Istan Gyulai, general secretary of the International Association of Athletics Federations, praised the quality of all five bidding cities but said London's was the best.
Gyulai said: "I'm personally pleased because for two years I worked in London and, of course, I was educated there.
Then praising Lord Coe, he added: "His wonderful presentation not only won the race but his philosophy of reaching out to the youngsters of the world, was what made all of the difference.
"Today he is a man of the present, but I am sure he will become the man of the future. His role has made him a superstar. He can climb to the highest of positions.
"Now I'm looking forward to seeing London having a new stadium which will be a great thing to restore its reputation for staging major events."
Athens double Olympic champion Kelly Holmes was jubilant at hearing the news of London's victory.
"It going to change so many people's lives in this country," she told Sky Sports News.
"I have to congratulate Seb and all his team because they have really turned the bid around."
Asked what swung the vote in London's favour, Holmes replied: "It was proof of the lasting legacy a London Games is going to leave and the way we can inspire the younger generation. I think from now on children are going to want to be at the Olympics in 2012."
England soccer captain David Beckham said he was "ecstatic" that London had won.
Beckham, from Leytonstone, east London, said: "I was saying last night I used to canoe down the Lea Valley on the Lea River the whole area is going to be transformed.
"It's not just about the East End - it's not just about London - it's going to transform the whole country - to have the Olympics in London that's something special."
Asked how he felt about the decision he added: "The feeling out there was incredible. I've won the European Cup, FA Cups and Premier Leagues - that's up there with them as well, it's an amazing feeling."
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