LONDON – For skeptics, the Olympics were deliciously doomed: London’s transport network would surely fail, Britain’s athletes would flop, rain would prevail and terrorists would strike. But then the sun came out after months of sodden skies, vehicles moved briskly, there were no attacks and British athletes reeled in a shocking 65 medals.

On Monday, as international athletes and visitors poured out of London and the city’s 8 million residents resumed their normal lives, British officials hailed the 2012 Olympics as an unqualified success. Even the naysayers predicting doom and gloom had to eat their words.

“I was moaning like everyone else before the games, thinking the roads would be packed and nothing would work,” said London shopkeeper Yvette Tracton, 28. “But it’s been brilliant.”