The Games of American basketball's Dream Team. With the event open to professionals, the USA sent their NBA All Stars, which included Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan, and they swept all before them, averaging 117 points in their eight matches and never asking for a time out.

Linford Christie sprinted to gold in the 100m, Sally Gunnell did the same in 400m hurdles and cyclist Chris Boardman won the 4,000m.

On the water Steve Redgrave collected a third gold in the coxless pairs with Matthew Pinsent while the coxed pairs of Greg and Jonny Searle and Garry Herbert also struck gold.

Ethiopia's Derartu Tulu won the 10,000m to become the first female black African Olympic champion but her victory lap - hand-in-hand with white South African silver medallist Elana Meyer - was equally significant in post-apartheid times.

South Africa's participation for the first time in 60 years sat alongside a unified Germany and entries from former Soviet Union republics after the collapse of the communist administration.

Gymnast Vitaly Scherbo won six gold medals, including a record four in one day.

British gold medals: 5