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.
"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.
Source: http://sport.my.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1641459
