The Olympic Games have concluded but the spirit of service will live on in the hearts of many volunteers, who took great pride in their work looking at it as a contribution to history.

"When this Games ends, it's not ending, but a new beginning for many of us," said Li, while Yao Tingting feels herself as one of the legacies of the dazzling Games.

Yao, a graduate student of human resources management had dreamed of serving as an Olympic volunteer ever since Beijing's won the bid for hosting the Games in 2001.

Her dream was realised when the organisers chose her from millions of applicants to be a volunteer of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

After undergoing some 160 hours of classes over five semesters, in subjects ranging from Olympic history to journalism, Yao and thousands of others at last got their chance to serve during the Beijing Olympics as a professional media volunteer.

Yao told PTI that her training improved her communication skills and gave her the confidence to interact with journalists from around the world, including India.

Yao was part of the volunteers who were attached to a media delegation from India and other Asian countries which toured Beijing coinciding with the August 8-24 Olympic Games. "Working with foreign journalists was quite fun," she says.

That's the equivalent of the entire population of Guatemala helping to run a sporting event.

Zhang thinks volunteerism will be one of the most powerful legacies of the Beijing Olympics. "The Games will foster an attitude of mass participation and long-term growth of the volunteer mentality in China," he said.

Due to the experience of managing the Olympic volunteer programme, he believes that China will be able to run more volunteer initiatives in the future.

Many Chinese Olympic volunteers took great pride in their work and their contribution to history. "Without the volunteers, there could be no great Olympics," says Ding Yan.

"Maybe it's the biggest ever event in China, and maybe the biggest event of my lifetime."

Chen Jing sees her volunteer job as a win-win situation. "On the one hand I can serve the country," she explains. "And on the other hand I can improve myself through inner evaluation and inner improvement," she said.