U.K. Athletes Attend Reception Hosted By The Queen At Buckingham Palace

Britain's Olympic and Paralympic medalists "capped a summer of sporting success as guests at a Buckingham Palace reception on Tuesday night," according to Caroline Davies of the London GUARDIAN. About "225 athletes attended -- and, for some, the event presented unexpected challenges." Swimmer REBECCA ADLINGTON said, "I swear walking across that gravel should actually be an Olympic event." Boxer NICOLA ADAMS, "whose nifty footwork helped power her to a historic Gold, had been in training for the reception" hosted by QUEEN ELIZABETH: "It was excellent. I was excited and nervous all at the same time. But I got my curtsey right, so that was OK. I'd been practising." The DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE "who, as an official ambassador for Team GB and ParalympicsGB, was a regular spectator at British triumphs at London 2012," and was among the royals attending." Cyclist SARAH STOREY, who became the U.K.'s most-decorated female Paralympian this summer said, "She said she had seen my first race in the velodrome." In the palace's 18th Century Room, the Queen and DUKE OF EDINBURGH met U.K. Prime Minister DAVID CAMERON, former LOCOG Chair SEBASTIAN COE and other senior figures who made the Games possible." Cameron said: "It was an amazing summer, and I think people will cherish those memories, you know, almost more then the 1966 World Cup (GUARDIAN, 10/23).