IOC Marketing Report – Beijing 200815 One World, One DreamChapter One As athletes chased the 302 gold medals that were on offer in the 28 Olympic sports, they were fortunate enough to be competing in 37 superb venues. In particular, the National Stadium, otherwise known as the Bird's Nest Stadium, and the Water Cube became iconic arenas, recognised the world over, with both playing host to a string of extraordinary sporting performances to match their eye- catching architecture. Altogether, 132 Olympic records and 43 world records were set in Beijing, as the athletes of the world embodied the Olympic motto of " Citius, Altius, Fortius". Spectators – both those in the Olympic venues and the billions watching as part of the massive global television audience – were also treated to two of the greatest individual performances in the history of the Games. American swimmer Michael Phelps won a record eight gold medals in the pool – becoming the most successful Olympian in history – while Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt stunned everybody as he broke world records on his way to winning three gold medals on the track. Beijing 2008 also saw more countries enjoying medal- winning performances than ever before, with athletes from 87 different National Olympic Committees, from all five continents, experiencing the unique pride of standing on the medal podium. Athletes from Bahrain, Afghanistan, Mauritius, Tajikistan and Togo picked up their countries' first ever medals, while there were also inaugural gold medal-winning performances for competitors from Bahrain, Mongolia and Panama, and a first individual gold for an athlete from India. As its slogan promised, Beijing 2008 really did unite the globe in " One World, One Dream". " This Ceremony to open the Beijing Olympic Games was a breathtaking culmination of seven years of planning and preparation. The world will remember this for a long time." Hein Verbruggen, IOC member and Chairman of the Coordination Commission for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad