By Paddy von Behr

Banstead’s Karen Williams played a leading role in the celebrations to mark one year since the start of London 2012 at the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games – and she insists it will live long in the memory.

The 41-year-old, of Blue Cedars, paraded the world’s finest female 400m hurdlers, including Olympic bronze medallist Zuzana Hejnova and British number one Perri Shakes-Drayton, into the Olympic Stadium last week.

Karen, who works as a HR manager at Sainsbury’s North Cheam, performed her role in front of a capacity crowd of 65,000 people in London and is adamant she won’t be forgetting the experience any time soon.

“I was in the stadium the Friday before Super Saturday. I came for the Paralympics with my family and with Sainsbury’s too,” said Karen.

“I have really experienced the whole thing. It was an amazing thing to be part of really.”

Karen was one of almost 60 Sainsbury’s colleagues from across the UK to have led out an event across the three days of the Anniversary Games at the iconic Olympic Stadium.

And she added: “I was absolutely delighted – it was quite an exciting moment. It was one of those ‘wow’ moments. I was quite nervous but thankfully I got it right.”

The Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games is the final event in the Sainsbury’s Summer Series. For more information on Sainsbury’s support of world class athletics and disability sport go to www.sainsburys-live-well-for-less.co.uk/occasions/anniversary-games/