London celebrates winning 2012 Olympics

London have beaten favourites Paris in a showdown for the right to host the 2012 Olympics after Moscow, New York and Madrid were eliminated in a nail-biting International Olympic Committee (IOC) vote.

London, bidding for the first time to stage sport's biggest event, started as outsiders but their strenuous and imaginative campaign carried them past a French bid which had long seemed destined for victory at Paris' third attempt.

London staged the Games in 1908 and 1948 but were awarded them each time without bidding. The British capital becomes the first city to hold the Summer Olympics three times.

"It's just the most fantastic opportunity to do everything we ever dreamed of in British sport. This was the most splendid team performance," bid leader and former twice Olympic champion Sebastian Coe said.

"We are taking home the biggest prize in sport."

Olympic athletes threw their arms in the air in delight and hugged each other in London's Trafalgar Square as they watched the announcement in Singapore on a huge screen.

Champagne was sprayed around under Nelson's Column and thousands danced in the streets after the announcement was made.

No official ballot figures were given immediately but leading IOC member Thomas Bach said London won 54 votes in the final round to 50 for Paris.

Paris bid unsuccessfully for the 1992 and 2008 Games.

Their bid leader Philippe Baudillon said: "We are very, very disappointed but it was a very good competition. We thought we could win but obviously we did not. Ah well, that's life."

Moscow were eliminated in the first round of voting, New York in the second and Madrid in the third.

Earlier the five cities all had their hour in the spotlight before the IOC session.

London and Paris both sent their political heavyweights to Singapore to help turn the vote in their favour.

French president Jacques Chirac took part in the French presentation in person to make an impassioned plea to the IOC. "The heart of Paris and the heart of France are beating in unison in the hope of becoming Olympic ground in 2012.

"Dear friends ... I shall vouch for this. You can put your trust in France, you can trust the French, you can trust us," he said.

Chirac flew off immediately afterwards to join the G8 summit in Gleneagles, Scotland, hosted by British Prime Minister Tony Blair who spent two days in Singapore promoting the London bid.

Blair left for home late on Tuesday after attending the formal opening of the IOC session. He and Chirac, at odds over both political and rival candidature issues in recent times, were seen shaking hands amicably at the post-opening party.

Blair made his pitch in a video clip. "Our vision is to see millions of young people participate in sport and improve their lives," he said. "London has the power to make this happen."

The London victory will undoubtedly be seen as an outstanding personal triumph for Blair and Coe.

- REUTERS