The Rome Games were the first to have worldwide television coverage and they got underway with an opening ceremony in front of 100,000 people inside the Olympic Stadium.

All the athletes except for the Soviet competitors had received the blessing of the Pope in St Peter's Square.

The USA and the USSR were as competitive as ever and it was the Soviets who topped the medals table with a total of 42 golds.

American sprinter Wilma Rudolph caught the public imagination as she won three gold medals in the 100m, 200m and 4 x 100m relay. As one of 19 children she had suffered from polio.

Ethiopia's emergence on to the long distance running scene was emphasised by Abebe Bikila winning the men's marathon - barefooted.

Competition in the swimming events was of a particularly high standard with Olympic record broken in every event.

Great Britain's Anita Lonsbrough prevented Australia and America from producing a clean-sweep of all 15 events.