Flying the flag for 2012

1:30pm Wednesday 27th August 2008

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AS the Olympic flag was raised across the country to mark the handover of the games, people in Wiltshire got in on the act too.

On Sunday, London mayor Boris Johnson officially received the flag from the mayor of Beijing Guo Jinlong.

Meanwhile, outside County Hall in Trowbridge, promising young local athletes congregated to mark the countdown to the 2012 Olympics in London.

Isabel Djivanovic from Sutton Veny, Sophie Wiilliams from Winsley and Katie Moffat from Stanton St Quinton, are being hailed as possible contenders for the UK games.

On Sunday they raised the Olympic flag with the help of Cllr Jane Scott, leader of Wiltshire County Council and other Wiltshire officials.

Miss Williams, 17, hopes to compete in fencing at the 2012 games.

She said: "I'm in the junior team GB and I'm currently training at the Milford School in Somerset.

"I'm hopefully going to be competing in the 2012 games."

Miss Djivanovic, 17, is training to take part in the three-day eventing.

She said the games which had just taken place in Beijing were exciting for her as the eventing team took the bronze medal.

"I have five good horses to compete and my immediate target is to win a place on the British Junior Team next year for the European Championships,"

she said.

Miss Moffat, 14, hopes to compete in the gymnastics.

"I'm in the junior GB squad and training five or six days a week, and I love every minute."

Other areas of Wiltshire also hosted their own ceremonies with a flag being raised by North Wiltshire District Council.

On Tuesday the Olympic handover flag was raised outside the council's offices in Monkton Park, Chippenham.

Melksham got in on the act after mayor Richard Wiltshire organised a celebration outside the town hall on Sunday.

Three cheers were raised in the Market Place for Olympic competitors this year and another three cheers to mark the advent of the 2012 games. The bellringing team at St Michael's Church also helped to mark the occasion.

Meanwhile the Olympic flag was raised at Stonehenge on Sunday, which was one of the locations pictured in the launch of Britain's original Olympic bid.