Chinese shooter Zhang Shan in action in Barcelona

KEY FACTS

Dates: 25 July - 9 August

Other candidate cities: Paris, Brisbane, Belgrade, Birmingham, Amsterdam

Mascot: Cobi, the little dog

Participants: 9,356 (2,704 women)

Participating nations: 169

Disciplines: 25

Events: 257

Medals given out: 815

Games declared open by: Juan Carlos I, King of Spain

Last relay bearer of the Olympic flame: Juan Antonio San Epifano, “Epi” (basketball — Spain)

Flame lit by: Antonio Rebollo (archery - paralympics)

Olympic oath read by: Luis Doreste (sailing)

President of IOC: Juan Antonio Samaranch (Spain)

Television rights: $636.060 million

Accredited journalists: 12,831 (including radio and TV technicians)

ANECDOTES

Courage

Britain’s Derek Redmond, one of the favourites for the 400m title, injured himself only 150m from the finish line during the semi-final. Despite intense pain, Redmond carried on by hopping. His father Jim jumped over the barriers, went towards him and held him up. A few metres from the finish line, his father let him go to end his race by crossing over the line himself under rapturous applause.

Woman power

China’s Zhang Shan won the skeet event in a final in which she was the only woman competitor among three men. With 373 targets hit from a total of 375, Zhang beat the Olympic record and equalled the world record.

EXPLOIT

In Barcelona, Belarus gymnast Vitaly Scherbo stole the show with a brilliant and unexpected campaign, capturing six Olympic gold medals, evoking memories of American swimmer Mark Spitz, winner of seven golds in Munich in 1972.

SUMMARY

At Barcelona in 1992, the Olympic movement profited from the end of the Cold War that had so divided nations politically and provoked several disappointing boycotts.

The Soviet Union, which won the medal-race four years earlier, no longer existed. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia took part under their own steam for the first time and the other former Soviet republics participated under the name of CIS (Community of Independent States).

Post-apartheid South Africa was back along with Albania, who were welcomed back into the fold. Barcelona rose magnificently to the challenge and the town council launched a public works programme that changed the face of the city forever.

Vitaly Scherbo of Belarus became the first gymnast to win six gold medals at the same Olympiad but the greatest stir was caused by a group of men who were already established global superstars. The US brought the so called “Dream Team” of professional NBA basketballers such as Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Co. to an Olympics for the first time. They were quite simply the highlight of the tournament.

Britain’s Linford Christie took advantage of Carl Lewis’s absence to become the oldest man to win an Olympic 100m sprint at the ripe old age of 32.

Lewis though avenged Mike Powell in the long-jump with the third of his four consecutive golds in the event. Powell it was who had the year before broken the world record of 8.95m held since 1968 by compatriot Bob Beamon.

(AFP)