Twelve-day extravaganza hailed as another feather in the cap for city
'We are so relieved to say the examination is over,' Chief Secretary Henry Tang Ying-yen said yesterday after the last medal event of the Olympic equestrian programme.
The 12-day extravaganza, for which the city prepared for three years, proved to be another success following a string of large-scale international events the city had held.
Over the past two weeks, the city received hundreds of athletes, their horses, thousands of officials, journalists and visitors from all over the world.
A total of 155,000 spectators, most of them Hongkongers, enjoyed a taste of the Olympics at the competition venues in Sha Tin and Beas River.
Despite various concerns before the Games, the city won applause from the athletes, officials and the audience for its high-quality facilities, smooth operation and organisation.