The National Lottery has recognised the sporting achievements of Britain’s Olympic rowing gold medallists from Beijing by creating casts of their hand and foot prints as part of a nationwide campaign.

A series of commemorative works has been commissioned by the National Lottery to honour British Olympic and Paralympic Games competitors, with the aim of exhibiting them in the build-up to and during London 2012.

The men’s four gold medallists comprising of Steve Williams, Peter Reed and Molesey Boat Club duo Andy Hodge and Tom James were joined by the men’s lightweight double scull champions Zac Purchase and Mark Hunter at Eton Dorney Lake to have their casts taken.

Williams said: “It was an honour to be asked to do this and to be captured this way for all of posterity.

“To be part of this group of gold medallists having their casts taken is a real privilege and a huge honour.”

Team-mate Triggs Hodge added: “It’s a really cool thing to have our hands and feet cast.

“I’ve had the honour to experience a number of very special things since the Olympic Games in Beijing, but this is definitely one of the most special.

“It’s great that the National Lottery can show where their money really goes and I’m very proud to be able to be a part of it for years to come—one day I can point to it and tell my kid, ‘That was my hand.’”

About 80 British Olympic and Paralympic gold medal winners since the last London Olympic Games in 1948 will be invited to participate in the campaign.

More than £4billion has already been invested in sport from money raised by National Lottery players across the UK since 1994.

Since lottery funding began, 437 Olympic and Paralympic medals have been won by British athletes.

The National Lottery is contributing almost £2.2billion to the cost of London Olympics and Paralympic, of which £750million will come from sales of specially designated lottery games.

The total raised for London 2012 towards this £750million target is more than £450million.