The Olympics in pictures

Finland's Paavo Nurmi wins one of his five gold medals in Paris 1924, having won three four years earlier

Jesse Owens was the undisputed star of Berlin 1936 with four golds

12 years later London hosted the next Olympics and Holland's Fanny Blankers-Koen won four golds

Bob Beamon set a long jump world record that lasted until 1991 in Mexico 1968, the American leapt 8.90 metres

At the same Games Dick Fosbury (USA) invented his famous 'flop' to win gold in the high jump

In Munich 1972 the American Mark Spitz dominated in the pool, accumulating an incredible seven gold medals

The Soviet Union's Olga Korbut, aged 17, won three golds in gymnastics in Munich

Four years later in Montreal, Romania's Nadia Comaneci was only 14 when she won five gymnastic medals

In Moscow 1980 Seb Coe and Steve Ovett went head to head in the 800m and the 1500m. Ovett won the 800, here Coe wins the 1500

Daley Thompson won his second gold in the Olympic decathlon at Los Angeles 1984

But the star of 1984 was Carl Lewis. America's greatest Olympian took four titles and finished his career in 1996 with nine

Seoul 1988 will forever be associated with Ben Johnson - stripped of his 100m title after failing a drugs test