The Beijing Olympics, played out against a background of political intrigue and
featuring 16 days of compelling and controversial action, drew to a spectacular
close on Sunday.
International Olympic Committee chief Jacques Rogge described the Games as
"truly exceptional" in a lavish closing ceremony at the Bird's Nest stadium
which culminated in the handing over of the Olympic flag to Boris Johnson, the
mayor of London, which will host the 2012 edition.
"Through these Games, the world learned more about China, and China learned
more about the world," said Rogge. "These were truly exceptional Games."
The Games saw China depose the United States as the new sports superpower but
the final day started with Kenyan Samuel Wanjiru relishing the heat to record
an historic first Olympic marathon for the African nation.
Zou Shiming won China's first ever boxing gold and his country's 50th gold of
the Games when he claimed the light-flyweight title.
At the end of the 16 days of competition and 302 events, China had 51 gold
medals, 15 more than the United States on 36, with Russia winning 23 and Great
Britain 19.
It is the first time China has won the gold medal count, although in total
medals won the United States has 110 to China's 100.
Wanjiru, striding to Kenya's first marathon success, celebrated in the hot sun
as be broke the 24-year-old Games record while those around him wilted.
"I had to push the pace to tire the other runners. I had to push the pace
because my body gets tired in the heat when I slow down," he said as
temperatures rose towards 30 degrees.
"It feels good to make history here. It feels good to make history for Kenya
and win the gold."
Kenyamay have won according to the script but the principal actors were
different as the outstanding Martin Lel, a triple London marathon winner, faded
to fifth and it was half-marathon specialist Wanjiru who pulled through.
China's Zou Shiming had a quick finish to the light-flyweight title for China's
first boxing gold when Mongolia's Serdamba Purevdorj hurt his shoulder and his
corner threw in the towel 19 seconds into the second.
There was success for Mongolia in the bantamweight final when Badar-Uugan
Enkhbat won their first ever boxing gold beating Cuba's highly fancied Yankiel
Leon 15-5.
It was a miserable Games for traditional ring titans Cuba and the United States.
Cubafailed to get a gold despite eight of their boxers reaching the
semi-finals, while for the first time no USA boxer made the finals and they
ended with a solitary boxing bronze.
The United States team of basketball multi-millionaires beat defending
champions Spain as expected but the match was closer than the final 118-107
scoreline suggested.
Spainhad closed to 89-91 with eight minutes remaining before Kobe Bryant
provided a crucial late spark for the all-stars.
The United States picked up further gold beating Brazil 3-1 in the men's
volleyball final.
Earlier, Rogge said that overall "the IOC was extremely pleased" with the Games.
"More than 40 world records were set, more than 100 Olympic records, and of
course we had the two icons of the Games, Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt."
Rogge pointed to heightened environmental awareness, greater enthusiasm for
sport among Chinese and the new stadia in Beijing as the legacies for China.
But he skirted around questions regarding China's response on such issues as
human rights and Internet access, and diplomatically refused to be drawn into
debate about the medals table.
For China, the investment of more than 40 billion dollars on the Games reaped
handsome rewards.
They not only topped the gold medal count, but a near flawless organisation
meant the controversies that marred the build-up largely slipped into the
background.
Phelps, with his unprecedented eight gold medals and seven world records, and
Bolt, the fastest man on earth winning three gold medals with three world
records, were the headline stories .
At the end of Sunday's ceremony, the Olympic flag was passed to Johnson while
London's position as the new host city was marked by Led Zeppelin guitarist
Jimmy Page dueting with Leona Lewis on 1970s rock classic Whole Lotta Love.
Londoner, and former England football skipper, David Beckham booted a ball off
the top of a London bus before the Olympic flame was extinguished.
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