The first Games to be held in Asia had a poignant opening ceremony
involving final torchbearer Yoshinori Sakai, who was born in Hiroshima the day
the city was destroyed by an atomic bomb in World War Two.
Judo and volleyball - the first team sport for women - were introduced.
American Al Oerter won the discus despite a cervical disc injury that forced
him to wear a neck harness and torn rib cartilage incurred a week before the
competition.
Ukrainian Larysa Latynina's six medals in gymnastics brought her career medal
total to an incredible 18, one of only four athletes in any sport to win nine
gold medals.
American swimmer Don Schollander won four gold medals while Ethiopia's Abebe
Bikila became the first repeat winner of the marathon - less than six weeks
after having his appendix removed.
Britain's Mary Rand claimed gold in the long jump and silver in the
pentathlon. There were also golds for Lynn Davies (long jump), Ann Packer (800m)
and Ken Matthews (20,000m walk).