Cover-by-cover coverage

Special section preview: How did the six athletes fare?

KOBE BRYANT

Men’s basketball

Bryant scored 20 points in the finale to help lead the U.S. to its first gold medal in the sport since 2000.

ALLYSON FELIX

Track and field

Felix won silver in the 200-meter dash and was part of the gold-medal-winning 4x400 relay team.

JULIE SWAIL ERTEL

Triathlon

She won a silver medal in water polo in 2000 but finished in 19th place in the triathlon in Beijing.

CARRIE JOHNSON

Kayak

Johnson failed to make it out of the semifinals in the 500-meter flatwater sprint, finishing fourth in her heat.

KHATUNA LORIG

Archery

Lorig advanced to the women’s individual quarterfinals before losing to South Korea’s Yun Ok-hee, 111-105.

KIMBERLY RHODE

Skeet

Rhode won the silver medal in women’s individual skeet after losing to Chiara Cainero of Italy in a shoot-off.

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Day by day: A look back at the 2008 Summer Games:

DAY 1

The most elaborate opening ceremony in history is considered a huge success. As 14,000 drummers, dancers and acrobats set the stage, China loudly proclaims it is ready to play host to the 29th Summer Games.

DAY 2

Michael Phelps’ historic week begins with a gold medal and world record in the 400 IM. One down, seven to go before breaking Mark Spitz’s record of seven golds in one Olympics. U.S. women sweep in fencing.

DAY 3

Jason Lezak’s dramatic come-from-behind anchor leg in the 400 freestyle relay gives Phelps his second gold. The U.S. men’s basketball team wins its opener, over China, and begins to win over Chinese hearts.

DAY 4

A pool party for U.S. swimmers. Phelps wins No. 3 in the 200 freestyle, and Natalie Coughlin and Aaron Peirsol win the 100 backstroke. U.S. gymnasts celebrate an unexpected bronze in men’s team competition.

DAY 5

His goggles filled with water, Phelps sets a world record in the 200 butterfly for his record 10th gold medal overall. In women’s team gymnastics, U.S. is second to China. Just how old are those Chinese gymnasts?

DAY 6

Jason Lezak gets a bronze in the 100 freestyle; he’s happy. U.S. 800 freestyle women’s relay swimmers, who hold the world record, get third; they’re not. Chinese gymnast Yang Wei wins the men’s all-around gold.

DAY 7

Nastia Liukin wins the women’s all-around gymnastics title, U.S. teammate Shawn Johnson a disappointed second. Phelps is six for six after the 200 IM. The Williams sisters and Roger Federer are ousted in tennis.

DAY 8

Phelps loses in his bid to tie Spitz . . . wait a minute, he won? A miracle half-stroke at the finish gives him gold No. 7 by a hundredth of a second in the 100 butterfly when to the naked eye he appeared to have lost.

DAY 9

Phelps has a powerful third leg of the 400 medley relay and wins his record-breaking eighth gold -- with seven world records. In track, Jamaica’s Usain Bolt coasts to the finish yet still sets a world record in the 100.

DAY 10

Fifteen medals are awarded in track and field. None go to the U.S. Jamaica goes 1-2-3 in the women’s 100. In women’s gymnastics, Shawn Johnson settles for silver and Nastia Liukin bronze in the floor exercise.

DAY 11

Redemption for the U.S. on the track, where Angelo Taylor, Kerron Clement and Bershawn Jackson sweep the medals in the 400 hurdles. Liukin loses the uneven bars gold to China’s He Kexin through a tiebreaker.

DAY 12

Shawn Johnson finally gets a gold medal, in the balance beam. U.S. boxers, once an Olympic force, are an Olympic farce. Only one U.S. boxer, Deontay Wilder, will win a medal, the worst showing in 60 years.

DAY 13

Usain Bolt doubles up, with another world record in the 200. He runs hard to the finish this time. Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh repeat as beach volleyball champions on a rainy morning in Beijing.

DAY 14

Carli Lloyd’s goal in the 96th minute lifts the U.S. women’s soccer team to a 1-0 win over Brazil and its second consecutive Olympic gold. The U.S. is stunned by Japan for the gold in softball’s swan song to the Games.

DAY 15

Bryan Clay of Glendora becomes “the world’s greatest athlete” as winner of the decathlon. “The world’s fastest man,” Usain Bolt, makes it three for three as part of Jamaica’s world- record 400 relay.

DAY 16

The U.S. women complete their run through the basketball competition with a 92-65 gold-medal win over Australia. Allyson Felix finally gets a gold as part of the 1,600 relay, an event the U.S. men also win.