FIVE lucky Adver readers made sporting history last month when they became some of the first ever to cross the London 2012 finish line.

The National Lottery Olympic Park Run saw a ballot for 5,000 people to take part in the five mile run past a number of iconic Olympic and Paralympic Games venues before ending on the home straight in the Olympic Stadium.

And the Adver competition winners – Stephen Savory, of Cricklade Road, Matt Raymond, of Wanborough, Steven Connolly, of Goddard Avenue, Chris Johnson, who now lives in Cambridge, and Louise Hallett, of Abbey Meads – were among the thousands taking part.

Student Matt Raymond, 17, said he was delighted to take part and even fulfilled an unusual ambition of somersaulting over the finish line.

He aid: “I was really pleased about getting the entry because I had no idea I had been nominated.

“I had never seen the Olympic Stadium before, that was a great experience and I took a load of photos.

“The run itself went really well and I enjoyed the opportunity to see, and run past, all the venues in the Olympic Park.

“It was pretty eventful as I took a tumble over the fencing at the start, but I managed to be one of the first runners back into the stadium and was about the 20th runner to cross the finishing line from the first wave of runners.

“My official position was 40th, based on my chip time of 28 minutes and 56 seconds so I was delighted.

“One of my ambitions was to do a somersault over the finishing line which I also managed to achieve so it was brilliant.”

Steve Savory, who runs an average of eight marathons a year, said: “To say it was a once in a lifetime opportunity is a bit of an understatement really and for someone who does quite a bit of running anyway, it was pretty exciting.

“It is incredible to think in a few months time people will be paying thousands of pounds for some of the seats in the stadium yet we had the pleasure of going inside, running around it and everything, it was an interesting experience.

“I am doing the London Marathons this fitted in to the training programme for that.”