Stars out for Embassy Sochi Games welcome
Almost the entire Team GB contingent turned out for a British Embassy welcome reception in Sochi hosted by Ambassador Tim Barrow.
VIP guests headed by Princess Royal, Princess Anne, and Lord Coe, the chairman of the British Olympic Association, came to Sochi’s Russian Seasons Hotel where they enjoyed an evening in a British-themed pub. Guests not only included Britain’s Olympic hopefuls but senior Russian and international figures. Princess Anne met many of them and with the arrival of three coachloads carrying our athletes there was a personal video message for the Team GB sportsmen and women from Prime Minister David Cameron.
As well as the welcome from the Ambassador there were speeches by the Princess and Lord Coe. Team GB members were introduced both by the sports in which they were due to compete, and by name.
The event was a curtain-raiser ahead of the official Opening Ceremony and the arrival of a number of other VIPs, including Culture, Media and Sport Secretary of State Maria Miller who had a programme of visits and meetings in the Games city. These included a drop-in at the BBC Olympic studios where she saw their coverage operations. The Minister also met British athletes and staff and was there to see Jenny Jones in action winning Britain’s first Winter Olympic medal on snow in the women’s slopestyle event, ending a 90-year wait.
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