"We reached new heights in terms of the total number of gold medals won (at an overseas edition) and the number of events that we first won medals in. We also proved that our athletic strength has been significantly expanded to more sports," said Zhou.

Zhou added that the Chinese delegation has successfully completed its mission and realized its goals.

Sun Yingsha, world No 1 in women's table tennis, said that China's overall prosperity and strength have served as a proud source of motivation for all her fellow Olympians.

"It's really an honor, and we all played confidently, knowing that a strong home country is supporting us," Sun said, after helping her squad beat Japan 3-0 in the women's team final on Saturday to secure China's 300th gold medal at the Summer Olympics since the Chinese delegation's debut at Los Angeles 1984.

By putting their colorful and vibrant images on full display at the pinnacle of their careers, China's modern-day Olympians have broken the stereotypes portrayed by Western media about their hard-working but sometimes reticent predecessors decades ago, representing a more open and confident generation of athletes who no longer hide their light under a bushel.