Games that won hearts and minds

The Beijing Summer Olympic Games proved to be a near-perfect success, not because the host country harvested the most gold medals and the second largest collection of all medals but because the Games perfectly illustrated the Olympic goals of being "faster, higher and stronger" and the ideals of "peace, friendship and progress".

The Beijing Games witnessed the largest number of new world records being set as compared with the previous Games and the least number of drug scandals in recent memories.

It was attended by all Olympic Movement members except Brunei - 204 countries and regions - and drew the largest number of athletes ever - 16,000 in total.