[1] Twenty-eight teams (representing regions or other bodies) reached the medal table, as did a number of individual athletes.

[4] The top two from the women's marathon – Sun Yingjie and Zhou Chunxiu – flew in from Beijing the day before the 10,000 m but still managed second and third place, respectively.

Her test at the Beijing Marathon the previous day was negative but, in spite of a civil court ruling a rival athlete had spiked her drink,[6] she was disqualified and banned for two years.

[7] Liu Xiang, the 2004 Olympic champion in the 110 metres hurdles, was one of the biggest draws of the games and he beat Shi Dongpeng, winning the gold in a world-class time.

Qin Wangping took a women's 100 metres/200 metres sprint double, beating Liu Li on both occasions.