[2][3] The Chinese delegation proved particularly successful in several sports, winning twelve medals in gymnastics, ten in diving and swimming, eight in badminton, seven in weightlifting and shooting, and six in table tennis.

Chinese athletes dominated in badminton and table tennis, where they each won gold medals in all sporting events.

Gymnast Zou Kai, who won two golds and one bronze in London, became the most successful Chinese athlete in history with a total of six Olympic medals.

Springboard diver Wu Minxia became the first Chinese athlete to win a gold medal in a single event at three consecutive Olympic Games.

Meanwhile, Chen Ruolin became the second diver in Chinese history to defend two Olympic titles at a single games, after Guo Jingjing did so in two springboard events in 2008.

[7] In the years after the Olympics, Russian track and field athlete Darya Pishchalnikova was disqualified for doping, bronze medalist Li Yanfeng was upgraded to silver.

Another Russian, silver medalist in the shot put, Yevgeniya Kolodko, was also found guilty for doping, Gong Lijao was promoted to silver and Li Ling to bronze, and Zhang Wenxiu was also promoted to bronze after the original winner in the hammer throw, Tatyana Lysenko was also disqualified.

The Chinese team featured 29 defending champions from the Beijing games,[1] including springboard diver Wu Minxia, light flyweight boxer Zou Shiming, gymnasts Zou Kai and Chen Yibing, and badminton player Lin Dan.

Meanwhile, fencer Li Na and basketball player Wang Zhizhi each made their fourth Olympic appearance.

Basketballer Yi Jianlian, who had previously played for the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, was the nation's flag bearer at the opening ceremony.