1) Usain Bolt breaks the 100 meters world record. Bolt already owned the record and in front of a packed Bird's Nest stadium he ran 9.69 seconds. He thumped¹ his chest in triumph over the last few meters before his 'marksman' celebration which became one of the lasting² images of the Games.

2) Michael Phelps roars in triumph and relief after American team mate Jason Lezak overtook France's Alain Bernard on the final leg of the 4x100 freestyle relay to keep alive Phelps's dream of beating Mark Spitz's record from 1972 of seven golds in a Games - a dream he was to realize.

3) Liu Xiang dejectedly walks away from the track as he realizes he has to withdraw from the defense³ of his 110 meters hurdles⁴ title because of a leg injury. Liu was the most popular sportsman in China and his grimacing⁵ departure clouded the Games for millions of home fans.

4) Russia's Yelena Isinbayeva turns the Bird's Nest into her private theatre with a gold medal and world record-breaking pole vault⁶ performance that captivated the 91,000 crowd. After she spent most of the competition lying under a towel, she broke her own world mark with a leap of 5.05 meters.

5) The Opening Ceremony. It was a jaw-dropping beginning to the Games, culminating in former gymnast Li Ning being swung up the roof of the stadium and 'running' around the top level before lighting⁷ the cauldron.

6) German weightlifter Matthias Steiner kisses a picture of his late wife Susann on the gold medal podium, choking back tears over the promise he made to her that he would keep their Olympic dream. The super-heavyweight made the pledge to Susann at her bedside in hospital as she lay dying after a car crash in 2007.

7) American Matt Emmons blows a 3.3-point lead on the very last shot of a 120-shot competition to throw away the gold medal in the "marathon" event of shooting. Four years ago in Athens he had fired at the wrong target and squandered⁸ a 3-point lead.

8) Usain Bolt breaks Michael Johnson's 200 meters record. Charging towards the finish line, Bolt has his eye on the clock all the way and once again celebrates his triumph in style -- this time, after he completed his run.

9) Rohullah Nikpai wins Afghanistan's first Olympic medal with a bronze in the men's 58-kg taekwondo. Proof that no matter how tough the conditions you have to train in, Olympic success is achievable if you have the talent.

10) Estonian Gerd Kanter celebrates his discus gold medal by sprinting⁹ down the 100 meter track at the Bird's Nest and mimicking¹⁰ Bolt's marksman routine.

1）乌塞恩•博尔特打破男子100米世界纪录。博尔特之前已经是该项目的世界纪录保持者，在鸟巢数万观众的见证下，他跑出了9秒69的成绩。在最后几米的时候他兴奋地捶打着胸膛，庆祝胜利，之后的“博尔特式”招牌庆功动作成为北京奥运会上最令人难忘的画面之一。

2）在男子4x100米自由泳接力赛中，迈克尔•菲尔普斯的队友贾森•莱扎克在最后一棒超过法国选手阿兰•贝尔纳，使菲尔普斯打破了马克•斯皮茨在1972年奥运会上一人夺七金的纪录。那一刻，菲尔普斯如释重负，纵情欢呼。这是他的圆梦时刻。

3）因脚伤无奈退出男子110米栏卫冕冠军的比赛时，刘翔沮丧地走出了跑道。刘翔是中国最受欢迎的运动员，他的意外离场让他的无数支持者扼腕叹息。

4）俄罗斯女子撑杆跳高运动员叶莲娜•伊辛巴耶娃把鸟巢变成了她的个人秀场。她的表现征服了91000名观众，最终夺得了金牌并打破世界纪录。比赛的大部分时间她都拿块毛巾遮着脸躺在地上，然后一跃而起将自己保持的世界纪录提高到了5.05米。

5）开幕式。这是一场精彩绝伦的开幕式，前体操运动员李宁被威压吊至高空，“跑步”绕场一周，点燃主火炬的一瞬让开幕式的气氛达到顶点。

6）德国举重运动员马蒂亚斯•施泰纳在领奖台上亲吻亡妻苏姗娜的照片，含泪感叹他终于实现了对妻子的承诺：永不放弃奥运梦想。苏珊娜2007年遭遇车祸，在妻子弥留之际，守在病床边的施泰纳向她做出了上述承诺。

7）在男子步枪3x40决赛上，美国射击运动员马修•埃蒙斯在最后一枪还保有3.3环的大好优势下，不料最后一枪失手，将这枚射击“马拉松”的金牌拱手让出。四年前的雅典奥运会上，他也是在最后一枪打到了别人靶上，错失了3环的领先优势。

8）乌塞恩•博尔特打破迈克尔•约翰逊保持的200米世界纪录。冲刺的时候，博尔特一直盯着计时器，然后又一次以他独特的方式庆祝这一胜利——不过这次是在他跑完全程之后。

9）鲁胡拉•尼帕伊获跆拳道男子58公斤级比赛的铜牌，为阿富汗赢得首枚奥运奖牌。这说明，无论训练条件多么艰苦，有实力的运动员还是能在奥运会上脱颖而出的。

10）爱沙尼亚运动员戈德•坎特获得男子铁饼金牌后，在鸟巢百米跑道上狂奔，并模仿博尔特的招牌动作庆祝胜利。