The Beijing Olympics ended with a flash of fireworks on Sunday (August 24), bringing down the curtain on a Games that dazzled the world with sporting brilliance and showcased the might of modern day China.
The 16-day sporting extravaganza was called by the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Jacques Rogge "truly exceptional" and he said it would leave a positive legacy for future generations.
Reflecting China's newfound confidence, the nation's athletes took their gold medal tally on the final day to 51 after winning their first two Olympic boxing titles. It's the biggest total since the Soviet Union's domination in Seoul in 1988.
The Chinese glowed with national pride at their achievement in staging the Games and at their athletes' prowess.
Olympic volunteer Liu Haicheng, watching the fireworks in the Olympic Green, said he was very proud of what his country had achieved.
"I am so excited. When they were counting down from eight to seven to six... before the closing ceremony started, I thought to myself I am so proud of China because
of the hard work we have done in the past years and all the medals we have won over the past two weeks," he said.
"It was so beautiful. China really didn't let anyone down by staging such wonderful Games. It was very
successful" tourist Zhang Liyan told Reuters outside the Bird's Nest stadium.
About 91,000 spectators poured into the steel-latticed stadium to see a golden crown of fireworks soar above the arena at the beginning of the closing ceremony - the culmination of the most ambitious and expensive Games ever.
IOC president Rogge praised China for an "impeccable" operation that had set the bar very high for 2012 hosts, London.
The Chinese spent a record 43 billion U.S. dollars (USD) on the Games. The budget for the London 2012 Olympics is a fraction of that and the British are making clear they will not try to emulate the Beijing epic.
