The great Britons who support our campaign

"You don't have to be an Olympic champion, it is just about enjoying yourself and getting into it." The 32-year-old from Edinburgh added: "The Evening Standard's campaign for a legacy for London is a fantastic idea and it definitely has my support."

Wiggins, 28, who was brought up in Maida Vale, said the capital Games would be "a waste of time" if they did not improve grassroots sport investment in London.

"I've no concerns we will put on a great Games, but we have to make sure that children and young people are enthused and excited about them and about sport as well, and who knows which future Olympic champions will be inspired as a result," he said.

Meanwhile, sailor Ben Ainslie - who has won gold in the last three Olympics - said water-based sports should be taught in schools.

The 31-year-old added: "There is a misconception that sailing is expensive. In France they have it on the curriculum and the sport doesn't have the same stigma as here - it's much more widely available."

The triumphant rowing team, which won six golds, 13 silvers and four bronzes in Beijing, said children should be given free travel to sports facilities.

Chris Hoy, 32, from Edinburgh

Gold in cycling team pursuit, keirin and team sprint. First Briton to win three golds in one Olympic games since Henry Taylor in 1908.

School: George Watson's College in Edinburgh, a private school.

Access to facilities: The independent school encouraged his cycling, even allowing him to use it for academic projects. He also excelled at other sports including rowing. He learned to race at Meadowbank velodrome in Edinburgh, which is suffering funding worries and Hoy is campaigning to secure it for future generations.

He says: "I would not be sitting here but for the velodrome in the first place."

Bradley Wiggins, 28, from Maida Vale

Gold in 4,000m individual pursuit and team pursuit.

School: St Augustine's Church of England School in Kilburn, a state school.

Access to facilities: Used Paddington recreation ground for tennis, football, cricket and athletics, but it was shared between many local schools. Did fitness training at Moberly Sports Centre in Queen's Park but some of his first intensive cycling was done on a flyover. Later used Herne Hill Velodrome - on the other side of London - at least two to three times a week. There, from the age of 15, he was coached by Se·n Banister.

He says: "I believe it's really important the 2012 Olympics leave a lasting legacy for London. It will be a waste of time if they don't."

Bryony Shaw, 25, from Wandsworth

Bronze in windsurfing

School: Cheney School, Oxford, a state school

Access to facilities: First learned to windsurf on a camping holiday. Her mother had to drive her round the country.

She says: "To get to Olympic level in any sport you are almost always going to need that kind of level of support. But that doesn't mean it's hard to get into.

"What I really hope from this campaign is that people realise windsurfing is an Olympic sport and can be a seriously competitive one.

"But also anyone can do it. You don't have to have your own equipment and you don't have to live by the sea."

Phillips Idowu, 29, from Hackney

Triple jump silver

School: Raines Foundation School in Bethnal Green, a state school.

Facilities: The school had poor facilities so PE teacher Humphrey Long built a launching board in a corridor. Idowu had to leap fence to train at Mile End stadium because he could not afford £2 entrance fee.

He says: "You need to use proper tracks to succeed. I can understand why adults have to pay to use them, but kids?"

Natasha Danvers, 31, from Sydenham

400m hurdles bronze

School: Sydenham School, a state school.

Facilities: A trust-owned sports ground in Lower Sydenham, 10 minutes' bus ride. Football and cricket facilities plus athletics track.

She says: Danvers told how she started her career as a teenager training in shoes with holes in the toes. "I was lucky I lived in walking distance of Crystal Palace stadium and didn't have to pay a bus fare."

James DeGale, 22, from Harlesden

Middleweight boxing gold

Schools: Barbara Speake Stage School in Acton - a private school. Plumbing student at College of North West London

Facilities: Trojan gym in Harlesden, then Dale Youth Amateur Boxing Club in a converted chapel of rest. It moved to an ex-nursery in Kensington. DeGale's father Leroy said the club was run "on a shoestring" and urged councils to invest more in young people.

Andrew Triggs Hodge, 29, born in Halton, Bucks

Coxless four rowing gold

School: Burnsall Primary and Upper Wharfedale secondary modern in Threshfield, North Yorkshire, a state school.

Facilities: Top-class. Took up rowing at Oxford University.

He says: "I want to see more rowers on the Olympic stage come London."

Ben Ainslie, 31, born in Macclesfield

Golds in Finn class sailing

School: Truro School in Cornwall, a private school.

Facilities: Truro School offers afternoon sailing classes on a reservoir.

He says: "The biggest problem with getting kids involved in sailing is the misconception that it's exclusive and expensive. We need to raise its profile. I think the way of doing that is to put it on the curriculum."

Tim Brabants, 31, from Chertsey

Gold in K1 1000m kayak event

School: Salesian School in Chertsey, a state school.

Facilities: Was only able to do football, basketball and cross country at school but joined a canoe club in Weybridge.

He says: "There's a momentum from Beijing in the way people have got behind us. It needs to be built on and maintained."

Sarah Ayton, 28, from Ashford, Middlesex

Gold in Yngling class sailing

School: Heathside School in Weybridge, a state school.

Access to facilities: Grew up near Queen Mary Sailing Club in Ashford. A family friend took her along when she was six.

She says: "There are more facilities in London than people realise. It's just people don't know and we need to tell them. People think because it's not near the sea it isn't an option but there lots of reservoirs."

Joe Glanfield, 29, born in Sutton

Silver in 470 class sailing

School: Exmouth Community College in Devon, a private school.

Facilities: The college does not offer sailing, though a windsurfing club started up last year. Glanfield started at Exe Sailing Club in Devon.

He says: "There's a lot more funding than there used to be [in sailing], not just for elite athletes, it's for grassroots. We are seeing the results. We could set up a scheme to takes kids to a reservoir at weekends."

Acer Nethercott, 30, from Harlow, Essex

Silver, men's rowing eight (as cox)

School: Mark Hall Comprehensive and Broxbourne School in Essex, a state school.

Facilities: Took up rowing with Oxford University Boat Club. Local club in Broxbourne offered rowing membership from age 10.

He says: "When I was a kid, meeting an Olympic champion inspired me to become one."

The Evening Standard's charter to deliver an Olympic legacy

Create sporting inspiration and facilities "that last for the generation to come"

Secure access to top-class sporting facilities for all

Ringfence money to secure Olympic legacy and ensure millions more participate in sport

No more sell-offs of school or council sports facilities

Establish a system of "Olympic Champions" with top athletes going into schools to inspire children, teachers and parents