Generally considered to be the best-ever - certainly the largest-ever - Games.

Britain's Steven Redgrave produced an heroic performance to become the first rower to win gold medals at five consecutive Olympics, while Matthew Pinsent won his third in the same men's eight boat.

Denise Lewis (heptathlon) and Jonathan Edwards (triple jump) had success in track and field while cyclist Jason Queally (1km time trial), Richard Faulds (double trap shooting), Shirley Robertson, Ben Ainslie, Iain Percy (all sailing), boxer Audley Harrison and Stephanie Cook (modern pentathlon) also all claimed gold.

However, much of the success was reserved for the home nation. Aborigine Cathy Freeman, who had the honour of lighting the Olympic flame at the opening ceremony, won an emotional 400m in front of an expectant crowd.

Aussie swimmer Ian Thorpe, just 17 years old, won the gold medal in the 400m freestyle by breaking his own world record, and picked up further golds in the 4x100m and 4x200m freestyle relay and a silver in the 200m freestyle.

America's Marion Jones became the first woman to win five medals in athletics in the same Olympics with successes in the 100m, 200m, 4x400m relay and bronze in the long jump and the 4x100m relay.

Birgit Fischer earned two gold medals in kayak to become the first woman in any sport to win medals 20 years apart.

British gold medals: 11