Before it kicked off to a thunderous samba beat at the opening cermony in the Olympic Stadium, there had been fears the Rio Games would be remembered for all the wrong reasons.
But it will go down as a spectacular sporting success, filled with moments of heartstopping drama and breathtaking excellence.
It was an Olympics where new stars were born and London 2012’s slogan “Inspire a Generation” became a marvellous reality on the podium for Team GB.
The Evening Standard’s photographer Jeremy Selwyn was there to capture the highlights, from Adam Peaty’s world record-breaking gold in the 100m breaststroke to 19-year-old American superstar Simone Biles’s stunning gymnastic displays.
How Team GB fared across the Sports at Rio 2016 Olympic Games
It was a glorious fortnight for Great Britain, which enjoyed its most successful Olympics for 108 years — one that will take some beating when it is Tokyo’s turn to throw the world’s biggest sporting extravaganza in 2020.
