This is a great day and I’m so glad to be here

Oct 17 2008 by Lynn Jolly, Paisley Daily Express

PAISLEY cyclist Aileen McGlynn proudly took part in a heroes’ welcome parade for winning Olympians and Paralympians in London yesterday.

Aileen, 35, was in the lead float alongside Beijing triple gold medallist Chris Hoy and other Team GB cyclists as thousands of fans lined the streets.

And she had time to speak to every Buddies’ favourite Paisley Daily Express from aboard the bus as more than 350 members of Team GB travelled in 12 buses from Mansion House, just south of St Paul's Cathedral, to Trafalgar Square along a route parallel to the River Thames.

Johnstone Wheelers cyclist Aileen – who is partially sighted – and her pilot Ellen Hunter scooped two golds at the Paralympic Games in Beijing.

She came first in the 1K Women’s Time Trial contest and then in the Women’s 3K Individual Pursuit.

An excited Aileen said: “I am standing on the float now and the atmosphere is brilliant.

“I am on the number one float with the other cyclists at the front of the parade.

“People are cheering us along and taking photographs.

“It is a really great day and I am glad to be here.

“But unfortunately Ellen couldn’t make it because she couldn’t get a babysitter!”

The 12 floats represented different sports and went through the capital for an hour to give fans a chance to cheer on their sporting heroes.

The medal winners were met by London Mayor Boris Johnson and enjoyed a carnival atmosphere as they trundled through the capital’s streets.

Team GB won 19 gold medals and 47 in total to finish fourth overall in Beijing.

The Paralympics team, meanwhile, was Britain's most successful squad for two decades, bringing back 102 medals in total – 42 of them gold – to finish second behind the Chinese hosts.

Aileen has had a busy few days in London after going along to the Glamour Women of the Year awards and appearing on This Morning on Wednesday.

She said: “The Women of the Year event was very emotional because there were women there talking about charity work and telling sad stories about their experiences in foreign countries.

“But it was good to be there.”

Aileen has openly hailed fellow Scot Chris Hoy, from Edinburgh, as her inspiration – and the feeling is mutual, with Chris describing her as “a genuine legend in her sport.”

She said she only took up track cycling after watching Hoy at the 2002 Commonwealth Games.

And she applauded him as he went on to win gold in the team sprint, keirin and match sprint in China in August.