Scotland's biggest city joined the celebrations yesterday as the Olympic flag was passed from Beijing to London.
Scotland's biggest city joined the celebrations yesterday as the Olympic flag was passed from Beijing to London.
Around 2000 people gathered as the handover ceremony was broadcast live on a giant screen in George Square, Glasgow, while the 2012 flag was also raised over the City Chambers.
Glasgow, which is hosting the 2014 Commonwealth Games, will be the venue for some football matches played at the 2012 Games and is an official Olympic City.
In London, around 40,000 people attended a party in The Mall outside Buckingham Palace.
They were entertained by musical acts including McFly, Will Young, Scouting for Girls, Katherine Jenkins, The Feeling and Will Young.
Several British Olympians, including cycling's triple gold medallist Bradley Wiggins, silver medal-winning triple jumper Phillips Idowu and past stars Sharron Davies, Roger Black and Kate Howey, were also present. America's swimming sensation Michael Phelps, who won an unprecedented eight gold medals in Beijing, also dropped in.
At the Glasgow event Lord Provost Bob Winter praised a "significant" Scottish contribution to the China Games.
He added: "Glasgow is now officially an Olympic as well as a Commonwealth city and we share the sense of excitement with London as they count down to 2012.
"We will play our part in hosting the Olympic football at Hampden, which will be a great curtain raiser ahead of our own Commonwealth Games in 2014.
"I know that all of Glasgow and Scotland will get behind the Games of 2012 and 2014.
"With us hosting the games in 2014, we'll learn a lot from what happens in London and from hosting the football here in Glasgow," he added.
At the George Square celebration, people were invited to try some Olympic sports for themselves, including football, gymnastics, basketball and table tennis.
The cultural programme included a display of Chinese drumming, music and dance and a mass, nationwide sing-a-long - Sing the Nation.
