AUGUST 9 - SIR STEVEN REDGRAVE (pictured), Britain's five-time Olympic rowing champion, has today been installed by the bookmakers as the favourite to light the flame at London 2012.

 

William Hill have made Sir Steve 4/1.

 

Sebastian Coe, the two-time Olympic 1500 metres champion and London 2012 chairman, is their 10/1 second favourite and also offer 12/1 the reigning Monarch of the day.

 

They are offering 16/1 on Kelly Holmes, 25/1 Princess Royal, 33/1 David Beckham, the then current Prime Minister, Dame Tanni Grey Thompson; 50/1 Jonathan Edwards, Amir Khan, Denise Lewis, Andrew Murray, Matthew Pinsent, Paula Radcliffe, Daley Thompson and 66/1 Sally Gunnelland Linford Christie.

"Steve is the unparallelled Olympian and therefore the natural favourite but there is some amazing competition" said Hill's spokesman Rupert Adams.