Flashback: 12 remarkable athletes at Beijing Olympics

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It's been 10 years since the Summer Olympics kicked off in Beijing on August 8, 2008, bringing the world's attention to the countless international and local talents gathering in the Chinese capital and competing for gold and glory.

World records were broken, dreams made and hopes shattered in front of billions of viewers from around the globe in the summer of 2008.

On the 10th anniversary of the Beijing Olympics, CGTN goes down the memory lane to review some of the sports stars who shone bright at the event and remember some of their unforgettable moments.

Michael Phelps: The king of gold medals

Sports: Swimming

Country: US

Olympic Games: 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016

US swimmer Michael Phelps. /VCG Photo

A total of 25 world records were smashed in swimming events at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, including seven solely by Michael Phelps.

The US swimmer bagged eight gold medals, topping the podium in the 100m and 200m butterfly, 200m freestyle, 200m and 400m individual medleys and the 4x100m and 4x200m freestyle relays and the 4x100m medley relay.

By the time he retired at the age of 31, the champion had collected a total of 23 golds, three silvers and two bronzes at the Olympics, a record-breaking haul that looks unlikely to be challenged for years to come.

Wu Minxia: A new era of Chinese diving

Sports: Diving

Country: China

Olympic Games: 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016

Wu Minxia (R) and Guo Jingjing (L) of China pose with their gold medal on August 10, 2008 in Beijing. /VCG Photo

Grabbing gold is nothing new to Wu Minxia, whose medal count includes seven Olympic medals (five of them gold) and 14 World Championship medals (eight of them gold). The Shanghai-born and bred sportswoman is the most decorated female athlete in the history of diving.

In Athens 2004, she leapt to fame, claiming the women's 3m springboard synchrony title at the Athens Olympics, with Guo Jingjing.

From Athens 2004 to Rio 2016, Wu collected four consecutive Olympic 3m synchronized springboard titles with three different partners. She also won the 3m individual springboard gold at London 2012.

Zou Shiming: China’s first Olympic boxing gold

Sports: Boxing

Country: China

Olympic Games: 2004, 2008, 2012

Chinese boxer Zou Shiming. /VCG Photo

Zou Shiming was China's best hope for the country's first Olympic boxing gold, living up to expectations and winning the men's 48kg crown at the Beijing Olympics.

During the final boxing bout, Zou’s opponent Serdamba Purevdorj was forced to retire due to a shoulder injury, bringing Zou into tears.

Zou also won gold at the London Summer Olympics in 2012, after which the athlete decided to switch from amateur boxing to professional boxing.

As China's most successful boxer of all time, Zou promised not to leave the ring as long as his body allows.

Usain Bolt: The greatest sprinter of all time

Sports: Track and field

Country: Jamaica

Olympic Games: 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016

Usain Bolt of Jamaica celebrates winning the men's 200m final in a new world record at the Beijing Olympic Games on August 20, 2008. /VCG Photo

Usain Bolt made his Olympic debut as a 17-year-old in Athens 2004, but failed make it past the opening round of the 200m race.

Four years later in Beijing, the tall Jamaican sprinter set a new 100m world record of 9.69 seconds. He snatched another gold and broke a world record in the 200m, clocking 19.30 to eclipse Michael Johnson’s 19.32 at Atlanta 1996.

A third gold and record followed in the 4x100m relay.

After winning the 4x100m title in Brazil, Bolt confirmed he had made his last appearance at the Games and that the 2017 World Championships in London would be his swansong as an athlete.

Kobe Bryant: ‘Redeem Team’ leader

Sports: Basketball

Country: US

Olympic Games: 2008, 2012

Kobe Bryant (L), LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Carmelo Anthony (R) present theirs gold medals after winning men's basketball final match against Spain at the Wukesong basketball Arena in Beijing on August 24, 2008. /VCG Photo

Kobe Bryant has been a driving force in Team USA's Olympic triumphs in Beijing 2008 and London 2012.

Bryant and his co-star LeBron James were the leaders of the US’ "Redeem Team", which went to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing tasked with exorcising the demons of Athens 2004, where the US had been eliminated in the semi-finals by Argentina.

During the final match against Spain, he scored 13 points, chipped in with three assists in the last quarter, and produced two vital blocks at the other end to help secure a 118-107 victory in what is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball matches of all time.

Lin Dan: A legendary competitor

Sports: Badminton

Country: China

Olympic Games: 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016

Lin Dan of China celebrates winning the gold medal in the badminton men's singles gold medal match during Day 9 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 17, 2008. /VCG Photo

Known as “Super Dan”, Lin Dan is China's pride in badminton. He is the only man to have won back-to-back Olympic singles titles, with consecutive wins at Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympics.

The legendary player has lifted all nine of the sport’s major titles: the Olympics, World Championships, World Cup, Thomas Cup, Sudirman Cup, BWF Super Series Masters Finals, All England Open, Asian Games and the Asian Championships.

As a two-time Olympic champion, Lin’s bid to win a third gold at Rio 2016 was stopped in the semi-finals by his old adversary, Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia, the latest instalment in a long-running rivalry that has lit up the sport for a decade.

Yelena Isinbayeva: The pole vault queen

Sports: Track and field

Country: Russian

Olympic Games: 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012

Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia wins the gold medal of women's pole vault in the National Stadium at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 19, 2008. /VCG Photo

Yelena Isinbayeva has broken the world records in pole vault several times, including being the first female to clear the 5m mark.

During the 2008 Beijing Olympics, however, she raised the bar high for herself and her competitors. In front of 91,000 athletic fans, on August 18 she made headlines and history.

With a vault of 4.85m, the Russian successfully defended her Olympic title won four tears ago at Athens. By that stage, she was the only vaulter left in the competition, but she was far from finished.

First, she cleared the 4.95m mark to break her own Olympic record, and then asked for the bar to be raised yet again, this time to 5.05m, as she launched a tilt at her world record. The crowd erupted into a symphony of applause, and Isinbayeva burst into tears on the podium.

Yao Ming: China's flag bearer

Sports: Basketball

Country: China

Olympic Games: 2004, 2008

Yao Ming (R), a then key player of China men’s national basketball team, dunks in a game against Spain at Wu Kesong Stadium on August 12, 2008. /VCG Photo

Ahead of the Olympic Games in Beijing, Yao said, "It would be the biggest loss in my career to right now if I can’t play in Beijing 2008."

His fears came true after undergoing surgery because of a fractured foot just before the Games. But Yao still made it, carrying the Chinese flag during the opening ceremony.

Three years later, Yao announced his retirement from basketball and later focused on the management side of the game in China.

During his career, he gained fame in both the NBA and CBA, having been selected to start for the Western Conference in the NBA All-Star Game eight times, and named to the All-NBA Team five times.

Zhang Yining: Master in table tennis

Sports: Table Tennis

Country: China

Olympic Games: 2004, 2008

Zhang Yining of China wins the Women's Singles Table Tennis Final against her teammate Wang Nan held at the Peking University Gymnasium on Day 14 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 22, 2008. /VCG Photo

Zhang Yining is considered as one of the greatest female table tennis players in history.

She held the ITTF ranking No.1 continuously from 2003 to 2009, except for two months in 2008, remaining as a dominant figure in women's table tennis, with four Olympic gold medals, ten World Championships, and four World Cup wins.

During the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Zhang won gold in both the women's singles and women's team competition, defeating her teammate Wang Nan to successfully defend her Olympic gold medal win at Athens 2004.

The legend announced her retirement in Beijing in April 2011.

Lionel Messi: Argentina’s moment with glory

Sports: Football

Country: Argentina

Olympic Games: 2008

Lionel Messi (2nd, L) and the Argentina men's football team win gold medal at National Stadium on August 23, 2008 in Beijing, China. /VCG Photo

Lionel Messi guided Argentina to final glory at Beijing 2008 Olympics men's soccer tournament. The blue and white storm nearly dominated the Olympic tournament, clinching two consecutive Olympic titles.

During the first match, he scored the opening goal and assisted another in their 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast. This was followed by a 1-0 win in the next group match against Australia, ensuring their quarter-final qualification.

Against the Netherlands, he again scored the first goal and assisted a second strike to help his team to a 2-1 win in extra time. After a 3-0 semi-final victory over Brazil, Messi assisted the only goal in the final as Argentina defeated Nigeria to claim Olympic gold.

Kirsty Coventry: Zimbabwe’s national treasure

Sports: Swimming

Country: Zimbabwe

Olympic Games: 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016

Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe celebrates victory in the Women's 200m Backstroke final at the National Aquatics Centre during Day 8 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 16, 2008. /VCG Photo

Kirsty Coventry is Zimbabwe’s most decorated Olympian, winning seven Olympic medals in her sports career and attending five Olympic Games, from Sydney 2000 to Rio 2016.

"You are not just meeting athletes from within your sport, but from all the different sports who are congregating in one place. It’s a very special thing," she said in an interview.

During the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, Coventry won four medals, with one gold and three silver medals. She was subsequently described by Paul Chingoka, head of the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee, as "our national treasure."

Dana Abdul Razak: Spreading Olympic spirit

Sports: Track and field

Country: Iraq

Olympic Games: 2008, 2012

Iraqi sprinter Dana Abdul Razak. /VCG Photo

Due to the International Olympic Committee ban on Iraq competing at Beijing 2008 Olympics, there were concerns that Dana Abdul Razak might be unable to participate, despite qualifying for the 100m and 200m sprint events.

However, the ban was lifted and Abdul Razak was the only athlete on Iraq's 2008 Olympic team. She completed the 100m sprint tournament and earned respect from the world.

She was also the Iraqi flag bearer during the London 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony.

(With input from IOC)