The “London Times” is reporting this week that British cycling Olympian Chris Hoy has been recommended to receive an Order of the British Empire for his Olympic accomplishments. The 32-year-old Hoy is young for this honor, which is traditionally bestowed to individuals of near-retirement age.

Fellow Olympian, Rebecca Adlington, who earned two swimming Gold Medals this summer in Beijing, has also been recommended for the honor. She is just 19 years old.

Hoy earned three Gold Medals in track cycling this summer in Beijing. He adds those to the Gold Medal he received in Athens and the Silver Medal he earned in Athens. Hoy has said that he looks forward to defending his Medals in his home country in 2012.

^{(photo: Newscom)}

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Hoy Recommended for Knighthood

Londoners turned out en masse today to celebrate Great Britain’s more than 500 Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Gold Medalists Chris Hoy (cycling), Rebecca Adlington (swimming), and Victoria Pendleton (track cycling) were among those featured on the 12 floats that snaked their way through the downtown streets.

Great Britain earned 47 Medals in the Olympic Games, including 12 Golds. It was their best showing more than 100 years. The GB team earned 102 medals at the Paralympic Games, finished second in the medal tally to host nation, China.

London is the site of the next Summer Olympic Games, which begin on August 29, 2012.

^{(photo of the British Olympic and Paralympic swim team © Newscom)}

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London Celebrates Olympians

Great Britain\’s Rebecca Adlington won Gold in the long distance swimming race, the women\’s 800m freestyle, giving her country its first Gold Medal in that event in more than 80 years. She won with a world record time of 8:14.10, breaking the record set by Janet Evans in 1989. Adlington was followed by Alessia Filippi of Italy for the Silver Medal and Lotte Friis of Denmark for the Bronze.

Kate Hoff of the United States failed to qualify for the final.

Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe finally got to stand atop the medal stand in Beijing, winning the women\’s 200m back stroke event with an Olympic record time of 2:05.24. Margaret Hoelzer of the United States earned the Silver Medal and Reiko Nakamura of Japan was awarded the Bronze.

Coventry has won three Silver Medals in Beijing.

In the fast-paced men\’s 50m freestyle event, Brazil\’s Cesar Cielo Filho bested an all-star field to win the Gold Medal, the first ever swimming Gold for Brazil, setting a new Olympic record of 21.30. The Silver went to France\’s Amaury Leveaux and the Bronze went to fellow Frenchman, Alain Bernard. Australia\’s Eamon Sullivan, the world record-holder, finished sixth.

In the men\’s 100m butterfly event, Michael Phelps continued his winning streak by the narrowest of margins–just .01 seconds. He earned his seventh Gold Medal of the meet with a new Olympic record of 50.58. Following him were Milorad Cavic of Serbia for the Silver Medal and Andrew Lauterstein for the Bronze.

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Scenes from the Water Cube – 8/16