- First day of the games, before the opening ceremony: GB vs New Zealand in the women's football. The tears in Kelly Smith's eyes showed what the Olympics meant to her and gave a little taster of what the next couple of weeks would hold.
- Team GB being destroyed in the men's road race because, basically, everyone was scared of them. Mark Cavendish, the only cyclist in Beijing not to win a medal and the unsung hero of Team Sky's domination of Le Tour, didn't event get a chance.
- Lizzie Armitstead, having won silver in the road race, genuinely not sure in her interview about whether to be happy or gutted. A great achievement, and so close to gold. The bittersweetness of simultaneous success and failure.
- Luis Leon Sanchez in the men's time trial - a snapped chain in the first two seconds, then a puncture later on. One of the favourites seeing his chances removed by horrendous luck. The brutality of sport.
- Chad Le Clos in the men's 200m butterfly, actually unable to believe he had won.
- Euan Burton's post-judo interview, taking no positives from the experience. Completely gutting.
- The women's team sprint, Victoria Pendleton and Jess Varnish disqualified for changing over too early. An almost guaranteed gold down the drain.
- Katherine Grainger winning gold after three consecutive silvers. Get in.
- Tearful triathlete Helen Jenkins (5th place) apologising in her interview for not medalling.
- Heather Stanning and Helen Glover absolutely destroying the field in women's pair, one of the most devastating performances of the games.
- Katherine Copeland's flabbergasted reaction to winning in lightweight double sculls.
- Zac Purchase and Mark Hunter giving their all in the lightweight double sculls, coming second, and then apologising for not winning, moving John Inverdale to tears.
- Andy Murray winning on centre court. Perfect.
- Louis Smith being edged out for gold in pommel horse - same overall score, separated only by execution marks. So close.
- 39-year old Iorden Iovtchev competing in the rings final and clearly loving every second of it - the freedom of having no pressure to win and just being able to enjoy the experience.
- Beth Tweddle's dubiously-judged low difficulty score leading to a bronze medal which, while wonderful, could seem unsatisfactory in making up for being robbed in Beijing.
- Goldie Sayers having no chance in the javelin qualifying with her injury, and then fighting the tear in her post-throw interview.
- Mo Farah's triumph in the 10,000m, a year after a tactical error cost him the gold in the world championships.
- Felix Sanchez breaking down in tears on the podium after unexpectedly winning the 400m hurdles.
- Andrew Osagie qualifying for 800m final against the odds and celebrating like he'd won the gold.
- Sally Pearson delivering the goods in the 100m hurdles under some of the most enormous pressure.
- Liu Xiang crashing out due to injury in the heats of the 110m hurdles, after injury also kept him out of his home Olympics four years ago
- Merve Aydin of Turkey getting injured in the first lap of the 800m and then hobbling round the second lap a la Derek Redmond.
- The receptions from the crowd for Saudi Arabian female competitors.
- Jade Jones winning a Taekwondo gold and going absolutely mental with celebration.
The highs and lows are perhaps summarised best by these two moments: Felix Sanchez breaking down with happiness as he receives his gold medal, and Goldie Sayers trying, and failing, to hold it together at the end of her interview.
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