Forty-three World records and 132 Olympic records were set, and as many as 86 countries won at least one medal in Beijing in 2008. The Outstanding Performers at the Games were American swimmer Michael Phelps, Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt and the Chinese badminton star Lin Dan.
Usain Bolt of Jamaica poses beside the electronic time board that says it all. In an exhilarating showdown with compatriot Asafa Powell, Bolt won the 100 metres gold at the National Stadium in Beijing in a then World record time of 9.69s.
In the period between 1992 and 2012, the Beijing Olympics in 2008 was perhaps the best in terms of performances. That 43 World records and 132 Olympic records were set at the Games, and as many as 86 countries won at least one medal stands testimony to this fact.
The outstanding performers in Beijing were American swimmer Michael Phelps, Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt and the Chinese badminton star, Lin Dan, who scaled new heights at the Games.
1992: Held in Barcelona (Spain) from July 25 to August 9,the Games attracted 9356 athletes, including 2704 women, from 169 countries. There were 257 events spread across 34 disciplines. The United States regained its place atop the table with 112 medals (45 gold, 38 silver and 29 bronze).
One of the lasting images of the Games was the Paralympic archer, Antonio Rebollo, lighting the Cauldron by firing a flaming arrow that was lit by the Olympic Torch. In fact, he did not. Rebollo was asked to overshoot the Cauldron for safety reasons. The Cauldron was already releasing fuel and as the arrow passed over it, it ignited itself.
After 1964, Germany returned to the Games as a single nation following its unification in 1990. South Africa was allowed to take part after a 32-year suspension due to its apartheid policy. The dissolution of the Soviet Union meant 12 countries, including Russia, took part as the ‘United Team’. Baltic nations like Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania sent separate teams, as they did in 1936. The division in Yugoslavia led to Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia & Herzegovina making their Olympic debut.
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