Victoria Pendleton

Great Britain's Becky James succeeded Victoria Pendleton as world sprint champion on Saturday, breaking the six-year iron-grip on the event held by the retired English golden girl and Australia's Anna Meares.

Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins led a parade of Olympic champions whose achievements in a remarkable summer of sport in Britain were recognised in the New Year Honours list on Saturday.

Credited with one of the greatest comebacks in sport, the Tour de France icon that was Lance Armstrong finished 2012 with a reputation as arguably its greatest fraud.

Tour de France winner and Olympic time-trial champion Bradley Wiggins was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year at a star-studded live ceremony in London on Sunday.

Tour de France winner and Olympic time-trial champion Bradley Wiggins was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year at a star-studded live ceremony in London on Sunday.

Tears mingled with cheers on the streets of London on Monday as thousands of Britons hailed their Olympic and Paralympic heroes but also pondered the future after a glorious summer.

As the London Paralympics draw to a close, with record ticket sales, bumper crowds and the highest profile in the Games' history after a successful Olympics, talk has again turned to merging the two events.

Sarah Storey on Thursday topped the list of Britain's medal-winning female Paralympians after surging to victory in the C4/5 cycling road race at Brands Hatch.

Australia on Monday officially welcomed home its Olympic team with a colourful parade led by a red London bus and featuring and Brazilian dancers, despite the country's worst showing in 20 years.

Of the many abiding images from the Olympics' cycling events, Bradley Wiggins sitting proudly on the throne at Hampton Court Palace waiting for gold could not have been more symbolically appropriate.

Sally Pearson admitted Wednesday that she felt the pressure to rescue Australia's flagging Olympics campaign when she lined up for her 100m hurdles triumph.

Cycling legend Chris Hoy became Britain's greatest Olympian when he powered to a sixth career gold, but Chinese athletics icon Liu Xiang crashed to a second successive Olympic heartbreak.

Chris Hoy brought the curtain down on Britain's dominant track cycling campaign in style but Australia's Anna Meares denied Victoria Pendleton a golden farewell with a superb win over her old rival.

Australia's Anna Meares stunned British rival Victoria Pendleton to win the women's Olympic sprint title at the London velodrome on Tuesday.

Australia's Anna Meares stunned British rival Victoria Pendleton to win the women's Olympic sprint title at the London velodrome on Tuesday.

Chinese icon Liu Xiang suffered a second successive Olympic heartbreaker Tuesday when he crashed out of the 110m hurdles as double 100m champion Usain Bolt strolled through his 200m heat.

Chinese track idol Liu Xiang returns to Olympic duty on Tuesday, four years after his Beijing dream was shattered, while 100m champion Usain Bolt begins the defence of his 200m title.

French track team bosses are already looking towards the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. The only consolation is they are not alone.

French track team bosses are already looking towards the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. The only consolation is they are not alone.

Beijing Olympic podium finishers Victoria Pendleton, Anna Meares and Guo Shuang qualified for the semi-finals of the women's match sprint tournament at the London velodrome on Monday.