The good, the bad and the ugly
Away from the spotlight where Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt basked in the glory, there were many less publicised moments of brilliance from athletes at the Olympic Games over the past month.
Like Yelena Isinbeyeva, the Russian pin-up girl of track-and field, who was in a class of her own in the pole-vaulting event. When she opted to do her first jump, seven of her eleven rivals had already dropped out.
While, Afghanistan's Rohullah Nikpai overcame the hardships of growing up in a refugee camp to win the war-torn country's first medal.
There were also less joyous moments. Who can forget the tears of grief around the Bird's Nest Stadium after Chinese hero Liu Xiang pulled out of his race? Or the cheap kick Cuba's Angel Matos landed on a referee's head? Here's our pick of the high- and lowlights.
THE BEST: Pole queen and a first medal for Afghanistan
Yelena Isinbeyeva
The Russian pole vaulter once again dominated the event breaking her own world record with a 5.05m jump. In a magical display by the 26-year old, she claimed the second Olympic gold medal of her career with a 4.85m jump, then set a new Games' record of 4.95m before her new world record jump – the 24th record in her career.
Dibaba/Bekele
The Ethiopian duo of Kenenisa Bekele and Tirunesh Dibaba did the long distance double by sweeping all four golds in both the 5000m and 10,000m. Both won with complete ease with Dibaba's accomplishment the first time a woman has achieved such a feat. Bekele, who became the first Ethiopian to win three Gold medals, also became the first male athlete to do the double since another Ethiopian Miruts Yifter in the 1980 Moscow Games.
Rohullah Nikpai
Nikpai made history by winning Afghanistan's first ever Olympic medal with a bronze in the men's 58-kg taekwondo. The 21-year old, who started the sport while in a refugee camp in Iran returned to Kabul four years ago where he practiced martial arts in between cutting hair as a barber.
Dara Torres
At 41, the American swimmer was once again among the medals claiming three silvers at Beijing, taking her tally to 12 overall. Torres, who has a two-year old daughter, competed in her first Games in 1983.
Sushil Kumar
Back home in India Sushil Kumar shares a tiny room in Delhi with 20 of his wrestling mates, rats and cockroaches, yet he overcame it all to claim bronze in wrestling.
THE WORST: Age concerns and the ref gets it
Liu Xiang
The Chinese hurdler was the poster boy for the Beijing Olympics. As a 'guaranteed gold medal contender' for the home nation, hordes of companies used him in their advertising campaigns. However, with the expectations of more than a billion people on his shoulders, he limped off the track before his opening heat due to a bruised foot – aggravated by a false start. There were tearful scenes around the Bird's Nest.
Angel Matos
Former Olympic taekwondo champion Angel Valodia Matos of Cuba kicked Swedish referee Chakir Chelbat on the head after being disqualified in his bronze-medal match because he took more than the allowed one minute of injury time. Both Matos and his coach Leudis Gonzales were banned from the sport for life.
Ara Abrahamian
The Swedish wrestler threw his bronze medal on the floor minutes after receiving it, in protest over the judge's decision in his semi-final loss. He has ended up being stripped of the medal, but has since taken his case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Chinese gymnasts
China are facing an inquiry into the age of their medal-winning gymnasts after reports in the media suggested they may be younger than the 16-year minimum allowed for Olympic gymnasts. Some were reportedly only 12.
Brazil football team
Despite five World Cup wins, the Brazillian football team have never won an Olympic Gold medal. To make matters worse it was their arch-rivals Argentina who knocked them out with a humiliating 3-0 result in the semi-finals. They did eventually win the bronze-medal play-off as a small consolation.