Beijing was the Games of records and superlatives. The Opening Ceremony was unforgettable; the athletes' achievements were astonishing, the organisation was excellent; the venues breathtaking and the anti-doping tests were stricter. Several hundred million watched worldwide on TV as more than 40 world records and over 130 Olympic records were broken.

NOCs: 204
Athletes: 10,942 (4,637 women, 6,305 men)
Events: 302
Volunteers: 100,000 (70,000 Olympic Games, 30,000 Paralympic Games)
Media: 24,562 accredited media representing 159 countries less