Sarah Attar
The first female Saudi track Olympian finished her 800m in 2min 44.95sec – more than a half-minute behind the rest. But her status earned a standing ovation. "This is an honour, such an amazing experience, just to be representing women," she said. "I know that this can make a huge difference."
What happened next: Attar, a student at Pepperdine University in California who continues to run competitively, told the Saudi Gazette about the impact her time in London had on the younger generation in Saudi. "One of my younger cousins had a class project on me. Their PE teacher had my photo up in the classroom, so they called me for interviews and it was great to talk to them. I mean, it is a big thing. I know the act itself does not change everything but you have to start somewhere. Everything begins with a step."
The badminton eight
Two events made Olympic crowds boo last summer: George Osborne turning up, and the badminton scandal. Eight Chinese, South Korean and Indonesian players were expelled for trying to lose, in an effort to manipulate the draw.
What happened next: China's Yu Yang immediately retired, writing on her blog that organisers were "unforgivable" dream-wreckers: "Goodbye my beloved badminton." She then changed her mind, and is set to compete in the World Championships alongside partner Wang Xiaoli, who was also banned in London.
Paddy Barnes
The Irish light-flyweight quickly became a cult figure when he tweeted from inside the ring after a fight: "Job done from the Olympic ring. Paddy Barnes. Bringing you closer to the action."
What happened next: Barnes, who won bronze, has carried on tweeting – commenting on the president of the Olympic Council of Ireland in October: "I see Pat Hickey crawling to Rory Mcilroy about carrying the flag at the next Olympics, what a prick!" Barnes is still an amateur, but doesn't want to be. "I want to go pro. I think I don't get any offers because people talk about me getting three Olympic medals and going to Rio, but I would love to go pro." He had to settle for silver at last month's European Championships after fracturing his nose.
Josh Booth
JB, Boothy or Booty arrived in London as a low-profile member of Australia's men's eight crew, and left it known worldwide for vandalising shops during a night out on Egham High Street. He was made to pay £1,400 to repair them. His team called it "an embarrassing situation".
What happened next: After the Games JB decided to knuckle down, refocus on rowing "and try to march on to bigger and greater things". Since then, he has marched off to college instead – stepping down from the Australian rowing team to concentrate on his medical studies.
Mark Hunter
The British rower won lightweight double sculls silver with Zac Purchase and sobbed through an interview with John Inverdale, before being helped away by Sir Steve Redgrave.
What happened next: Hunter announced his retirement this month, aged 34. "It's time to hang up my oars, and look for new adventures."
Chad Le Clos
The South African youngster beat Michael Phelps to gold in the 200m butterfly, and propelled telegenic dad, Bert, into 2012's most famous post-race interview. "He's beautiful," Bert told the nation. "What a beautiful boy. Sorry, sorry. He's unbelievable. Look at him. I love you. He's crying like me."
What happened next: Chad struggled with fitness after coming back from a post-Games break too quickly, and is determined to impress in the World Championships in Barcelona. "I tried to get back to the top level too quickly – that's why you get injured." His target: "No one's ever won the 50m, 100m and 200m. That's my dream." Bert, meanwhile, continues to enjoy the attention. @bigbertleclos has just over 4,000 followers.
Taoufik Makhloufi
The Algerian won the men's 1500m at an effortless canter in London – 24 hours after having his expulsion for "not trying" in the 800m overturned after he produced a medical certificate.
What happened next: It was one of the summer's less seemly episodes, and life has not gone smoothly for Makhloufi since. After being taken ill in January in Ethiopia he has struggled, pulling out of the World Championships.
McKayla Maroney
Part of the US gold-medal winning "Fierce Five" gymnastics team, Maroney achieved internet meme status after she had to settle for silver in the vault finals – her pursed-lipped facial expression on the podium a picture of disappointment. It was grist to the photoshoppers, who put Maroney looking unimpressed in a variety of different settings.
What happened next: In November she went to the White House and posed for a photo with Barack Obama – both of them pursing for the cameras. Her career has been hampered by injuries, but she has kept busy – making a TV acting debut, and serving as a judge at the 86th Miss America pageant in Las Vegas.
Samantha Murray
The pentathlete won Britain's 65th and final medal last summer, a surprise silver minutes before the closing ceremony.
What happened next: More success: she won her first British Modern Pentathlon Championships in April and two golds at the European Championships this month in the team relay and team events. And the sport survived the vote for inclusion at the 2016 Games as wrestling was axed instead.
Ruta Meilutyte
The 15-year-old Lithuanian, a schoolmate of Tom Daley in Plymouth, stunned a vastly more experienced field to win the women's 100m breaststroke. Days before the Games she had pondered on Twitter: "Is it possible for me to have 1,000 followers by the end of London2012?? Probably not." The final total was 18,600.
What happened next: Since London she has continued to excel, breaking a string of European and Championship records, most recently at the Mare Nostrum in Monaco in the build-up to the World Championships. And the followers have kept coming: 21,113 and counting.
Shin A-Lam
Outraged by a timing controversy that cost her a place in the final, the South Korean fencer staged her infamous sit-in protest, holding a tearful position for an hour. She then got up, went ahead with her bronze-medal match, and lost it.
What happened next: She did win a medal last summer, in the women's team epee, but later rejected the offer of a sheepish "special award" from the International Fencing Federation, to honour her "aspiration to win and respect for the rules". She said: "It does not make me feel better, because it is not an Olympic medal." This month she won gold at the 2013 Summer Universiade in Russia.
Nur Suryani Mohd Taibi
The Malaysian 10m air rifle shooter was eight months pregnant when she competed at Woolwich. After finishing 34th she said: "I felt [the baby] kick three or four times but I just told her to be calm, to be quiet, mummy's shooting."
What happened next: Baby Dayana Widyan appeared a month after the Games. Suryani struggled to get back into competitive shape until last month, when she won gold at the domestic Tun Hanif Trophy. Her target now is next year's Commonwealth Games. "It has been a slow, difficult journey for me. It took six months to win a title but it will spur me on. I hope it will dispel any doubts."
Ye Shiwen
On the first night in the pool the 16-year-old Chinese swimmer caused a sensation – taking a second off the world record for the 400m individual medley. Senior American coach John Leonard's reaction was typical – telling the Guardian the performance was "unbelievable" and "disturbing".
What happened next: Ye's doping tests last summer and since have all been clean, but the innuendo will follow her into the World Championships. "I was very depressed and angry after London, but everything is fine now," she told the Independent. "It's a long journey. Different people have their different views, but I will just keep going."
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