Olympic relay role in Greece for east London lad who helped win Games

An east London man who helped London win the race to host the 2012 Games will carry the Olympic Flame in Greece.

Alex Loukos was one of the 30 east London school children who travelled to Singapore in 2005 - as part of the closing presentations in London’s winning bid to host the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Now Mr Loukos will be the second person to carry the torch after the flame is lit in Ancient Olympia on May 10.

Ritual states it is lit by the rays of the sun among the historic ruins of the home of the ancient Games.

Mr Loukos, who attended Langdon School, will receive the flame from Greece’s English-born World 10km swimming champion Spyros Gianniotis, 32.

The surprise presence of the 30 young ambassadors helped convince the International Olympic Committee to award the Games to London.

The youngsters were used to represent both the communities that would benefit most from London 2012 and the ambition to inspire young people to take up sport.

Recalling the trip to Sinapore, Mr Loukos said: “There were 30 of us, but we were representing all young Londoners. It was quite a responsibility.”

The flame will visit Crete, Piraeus, Thessalonica, Xanthi and Larissa, among other places, in a relay around the Greek mainland and islands.