The 84-year-old was formally invited to the UK by the British Embassy in order to revisit the places where competed at the 1948 Olympics and to see how preparations are going for the London 2012 Games next year.

The visit saw León given a tour of the London 2012 Olympic mountain bike venue here at Hadleigh Farm in Essex, while he also visited the Olympic Park in Stratford to see the brand new London 2012 velodrome and BMX track, which hosted the first outdoor Olympic test event on the Park last week.

He will also visited the Herne Hill Velodrome during his stay, which he competed on during the London 1948 Olympics when he took part in track cycling.

"I find London to be just the same as it used to be 63 years ago and I think that it will host a fantastic Olympic Games next year just like it did in 1948 when the Second World War had only just ended," León told insidethegames.

"It was a bad time after the war but London staged a very special Olympics Games that united the entire world once again through sport.

"I have the best memories of London from 1948 that have stayed with me throughout my life."


During his stay in the UK, León will also visit the family of British cycling track icon Reg Harris (pictured), who he competed against at the London 1948 Olympics.

Harris claimed Olympic silver medals at the Games and was a household name across the UK in the 1940s and 1950s.

He died in 1992 at the age of 72 and León said it had been a privilege to compete against him.

"I remember that I was very happy when I came to London in 1948 because I was only a young man at 23-years-old and I had the chance to compete against the best cyclist in England at the time who was Reg Harris.

"He was also the world champion back then and it was an honour for me to be on the same track as him and the best cyclists from other countries around the world as well.

"It was at London 1948 that I really learnt a great deal about cycling from people like Reg Harris and I left the Olympics knowing what I needed to do for my future career."

León almost became the first Venezuelan to receive a medal at London 1948 as he advanced to the semi-finals in the 2000 metres competition but was beaten a few metres before the finish line by Italian M Ghella.

León went on to have a long and successful career which included two prestigious Pan American Games gold medals but he admits that the Olympics in London was the pinnacle for him and that he wants to attend the London 2012 Olympics next to watch his sport.

"If I am still alive next year, I hope to be back for the London 2012 Olympics," he joked.

"I have been invited by the Embassy and also by the Venezuelan Olympic Committee [COV] to be present at London 2012 so I would love to come back to this city that is so special in my heart.

"But I am just happy to be back here now as it is recognition for something that I did and now I can say that it was all worth it."

Catherine Nettleton, the British Ambassador to Venezuela, added that the British Embassy were happy to recognise the contribution of León to the 1948 Olympics.

"We are happy to recognise a valuable personality in Venezuelan sports and one that should be an example for all of us," she said.

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