As Beijing empties, those of us left behind have time to dwell on some of the great moments in sporting history that we have witnessed.
Sponsors of the Beijing Olympics have spent hundreds of millions of dollars for 16 days in the spotlight and they reckon it was money well spent.
The Beijing Olympics, played out against a background of political intrigue and featuring 16 days of compelling and controversial action.
Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt electrified the Beijing Olympics, securing their places in Games’ lore over 17 days of competition.
China’s leaders will breathe a sigh of relief as the Beijing Olympics close, turning their attention back on the economy.
Finishing last at the Olympics is as big a triumph as winning medals for many athletes from Africa.
Argentina retained the Olympic gold medal in soccer by beating Nigeria 1-0 in Saturday’s final with a stunning goal from Angel Di Maria.
Jamaica won the men’s 4x100m Olympic title on Friday in a new world record time of 37,10 seconds.
The road to Beijing was rocky but, once the Games kicked off, attention swung from protester to athlete.
SA marathon champions Hendrick Ramaala and Norman Dlomo hit the road on Sunday, hoping to emulate compatriot Josiah Thugwane, the 1996 gold medallist.
The message to a distraught Chinese public, still reeling from withdrawal of the nation’s biggest sporting hero, could not have been clearer.
This time he remembered to do his shoelaces up. This time he ran hard all the way to the finish, looking neither right nor left.
Hong Kong was buffeted by gale force winds on Friday as typhoon Nuri churned toward the financial hub, with most of the city shut down.
Jamaica made a clean sweep of Olympic sprint golds on Thursday with victory in the women’s 200m to complete their domination over the United States.
An influx of workers from China is receiving a mixed reception in Africa, where people both admire and resent the newcomers’ pursuit of wealth.
Zhao Xiaojun may not have won a gold medal, but the Shanghai architect who helped create the iconic Water Cube is already reaping the rewards.
Jamaican sprint superstar Usain Bolt should show more respect for his rivals, says International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge.
Chinese authorities have sentenced two women in their 70s to a year’s ”re-education through labour” following their application to hold a protest.
Exactly 100 years ago a Chinese YMCA lecturer had a dream — that one day China would host the Olympic games.
Usain ”Lightning” Bolt roared to gold in the 200m on Wednesday to become the first man since Carl Lewis in 1984 to win an Olympic sprint double.
Ukraine’s Olympic heptathlon silver medallist Liudmyla Blonska has failed a drugs test, the IOC confirmed on Wednesday.
Natalie du Toit pulled herself on to the dock and waited for someone to bring her prosthetic leg. Du Toit didn’t finish where she wanted.
Britain notched their highest gold medal tally in a century on Tuesday with four victories in running, cycling and sailing for the 2012 hosts.
Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva has taken the art of flirting with the crowd to new heights. Others have simply taken their clothes off.
”I want to help the Olympics. It is just a small thing, but I want to make a contribution” says one of the cheerleaders bussed in to fill empty seats.
Long jumper Khotso Mokoena grabbed SA’s first medal of the Beijing Olympics when he won silver in his event with a jump of 8,24m on Monday.
Australian Emma Snowsill has swept to a devastating victory in the Olympic triathlon, leaving two South African competitors behind.
Chinese superstar Liu Xiang sensationally pulled out of the Games injured on Monday, putting a dampener on China’s success thus far.
The ID has slammed the ”completely unnecessary wastage” of R11-million on a failed publicity project to showcase South Africa at the Beijing Olympics.
The South African men’s hockey team did what the women’s team still have to achieve by scoring their first points of the Beijing Olympics on Sunday.
Juan van Deventer cut it fine, but was helped to qualify for the 1 500m final by the speed of his A semifinal at the Bird’s Nest on Sunday night.
Spain’s Rafael Nadal adds Olympic gold to his glittering season collection as he destroys Chilean Fernando Gonzalez in the men’s singles final.