LONDON 2012: Beckham to bring Olympic flame back to Britain

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Posted: Wednesday 16th May 2012 | 10:53

DAVID Beckham has been appointed to bring the Olympic flame back to Britain at tomorrow's handover ceremony in Athens.

KEY ROLE: David Beckham will be part of a delegation that will bring the Olympic torch from Greece to start its journey around the UK (Samsung)

The torch has been travelling around Greece on its way to the Panathenaic Stadium, venue of the 1896 and 2004 Games, where it will formally transferred into the care of London 2012 organisers.

Beckham, who was part of the bid team that won the Games and played a similar role during the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, will be joined by British Olympic Association president HRH The Princess Royal, London 2012 chairman Seb Coe, Minister of the Olympics Hugh Robertson and London Mayor Boris Johnson in the official delegation.

Alongside him will be five youngsters who have been selected in recognition of their commitment to sport and their role in promoting the Olympic values of friendship, excellence and respect within their school or college.

"We wanted to involve young people from across the UK in bringing home the Olympic flame," said Coe.

"Their stories of personal achievement and contribution to sport echo the 8,000 inspiring torchbearer stories that will be shared from this weekend and over the next ten weeks in the build up to the start of the Games.

"Working with one of our most inspiring sportspeople is also fitting for this hugely exciting time for the London 2012 Games."

The selected youngsters come from across the UK, with Scotland represented by promising rugby player Dennis Coles, 17, while Swansea Harrier athlete Sean White, 17, carries the flag for Wales and hockey player Chloe Brown, 18, is the Northern Ireland representative.

From Cornwall, where the Olympic flame arrives and starts its 70-day journey, is hockey player Georgia Higgs, 15, and young athlete Sakinah Muhammad, also 15, represents the host London borough of Hackney.