Olympian Chris set for civic honour

OLDHAM Council is to honour Olympic bronze medallist Chris Newton with a civic reception.

The Mayor, Councillor Shoab Akhtar, and the leader of the council, Howard Sykes, will jointly host a presentation and buffet for the cyclist and his family on Saturday.

In attendance will be around 100 guests from cycling and sporting bodies, 2012 Olympic hopefuls and other organisations.

The aim is to acknowledge Chris’s tremendous achievement, as the only Oldham-based competitor to win a medal at last month’s games.

He will be presented with a specially inscribed memento by the Mayor.

Councillor Sykes said Chris’s achievement had ensured Oldham was able to bask in the glory and euphoria of British success at the games with justification and pride, along with the rest of the country.”

He added: “Honouring him in this way — and also acknowledging the great support he got from his family to achieve Olympics success — is the very least we can do to show Oldham’s appreciation of a dedicated, committed sportsman and role model.”

The Royton cyclist has already been granted the freedom of Manchester along with the rest of his Olympic cycling team-mates.

His medal in the 40km points race adds to medals won at previous Olympics in Athens, Atlanta and Sydney and helped Team GB record its most successful Olympics in 100 years.