Track and cycling athlete Kadeena Cox, who is the flag bearer for ParalympicsGB at the Rio Paralympic Games 2016 closing ceremony. Copyright onEdition 2016 ©

ParalympicsGB will return from Rio with 64 gold medals – the most gold medals and indeed most medals of any British Paralympic team since Seoul 1988 – and won 12% of all gold medals awarded at the Games, which is the best performance since Tel Aviv in 1968.

A series of exceptional performances ensured ParalympicsGB comfortably passed the 121 medal target set by UK Sport, eventually finishing with 64 golds, 39 silvers and 44 bronzes, a total of 147 medals – a result which sees the team finish second in the table behind China.

In doing so, the team has now won gold medals in 11 sports – this matches China in 2008 as the highest number in Paralympic history.

Additionally, ParalympicsGB secured medals in 15 sports – a feat which equals the record previously held by the USA from Athens 2004 as the greatest ever in one Games.

Across ParalympicsGB, the team have broken 49 Paralympic and 27 World Records and both the oldest (Anne Dunham) and youngest (Abby Kane) athletes won medals.

Historic ParalympicsGB performances include:

Cyclist Dame Sarah Storey DBE (C4-5) from Manchester, wins a gold medal for ParalympicsGB in the Road race with Daughter Louisa at the Rio Paralympic Games 2016. Copyright onEdition 2016 ©

Dame Sarah Storey surpassing Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson as Great Britain’s most successful female Paralympian ever on 14 golds with victory in the C5 3000m individual pursuit. The 38-year-old went on to add further golds in the C5 time trial and women’s C4-5 road race.

Kadeena Cox becoming the first British athlete to win gold medals in two sports at the same Games since 1984 after victory in the women’s cycling C4-5 500m time trial and then the 400m T38 final on the athletics track. Cox also won bronze in the women’s T38 final and silver in the women’s 4x100m T35-38 final.

An extraordinary regatta at Lagoa saw ParalympicsGB’s rowers win medals in all four classes – the first nation ever to do so at a Paralympic Games – including three golds and a bronze. 

Jeanette Chippington GBR wins the Gold Medal in the Women’s KL1 Final. Canoe Sprint at the Lagoa Stadium. The Paralympic Games, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday 15th September 2016. Photo: Al Tielemans for OIS/IOC. 

Additional history made at the same venue, this time in canoeing as Jeanette Chippington became the first ever Paralympic canoe champion when she won the women’s KL1 final. It was one of five medals won by ParalympicsGB’s sprint canoeists with three golds and two bronzes over the six finals. All female British Paralympians competing at Lagoa picked up medals.

Andy Lewis becoming the first ParalympicsGB athlete to win a medal in triathlon by taking gold in the PT2 class.

Piers Gilliver winning ParalympicsGB’s first wheelchair fencing medal since 1992 with individual epee silver.

ParalympicsGB’s women’s W1 archers completing a clean sweep of the medal podium with Jessica Stretton taking gold ahead of Jo Frith and Vicky Jenkins – a first for both Team GB or ParalympicsGB since 1996, when it was achieved in Lawn Bowls.

Wheelchair Basketball player (Men) Ian Sagar from Barnsley, wins a bronze medal for ParalympicsGB at the Rio Paralympic Games 2016. Copyright onEdition 2016 ©

ParalympicsGB men’s wheelchair basketball clinching their third bronze medal in four Games with the women’s team finishing fourth for their highest-ever finish at a Paralympic Games.

ParalympicsGB equestrian team win 11 medals and seven gold, beating their London haul while Natasha Baker, Sophie Christiansen, Anne Dunham and Sophie Wells retained the team title, ensuring ParalympicsGB remain unbeaten in the sport since the sport’s first outing at Atlanta in 1996.

Wheelchair Tennis Player, Gordon Reid, from Glasgow, Scotland, (Mens Singles) wins a gold medal competing for ParalympicsGB at the Rio Paralympic Games 2016. Copyright onEdition 2016 ©

Six medals for ParalympicsGB wheelchair tennis players, including gold for Gordon Reid after defeating teammate Alfie Hewett in an all-British men’s singles final and Andy Lapthorne and Jamie Burdekin won the longest wheelchair tennis match in history.

ParalympicsGB winning 12 medals including five gold on Day 8 and in doing so passing the Beijing total medal haul of 102. Gold and bronze for Hannah Cockcroft and Kare Adenegan a day later take the team past the London 2012 haul of 120.

Amongst the outstanding performances from British athletes were: David Smith, who moved himself level with Nigel Murray as Britain’s most successful Boccia player with gold in the mixed individual BC1 class; Libby Clegg and guide Chris Clarke who completed the sprint double over the T11 100m and 200m; Hannah Cockroft successfully defended her 100m T34 title as well as adding 400m and 800m gold to move onto five Paralympic titles; Jonnie Peacock defended his T44 100m title while Richard Whitehead did likewise in the T42 200m – with teammate David Henson taking bronze – and also taking silver in the T42 100m. Meanwhile in the pool, there were five medals won by 34-year-old swimmer Stephanie Millward while ParalympicsGB swimmers clinched three golds medals in just 38 minutes on day five, including a Paralympic title for Sascha Kindred in his last race of a Paralympic career spanning back to Atlanta 1996. Ellie Simmonds and Susie Rodgers were the other two winners.

Chef de Mission of ParalympicsGB Penny Briscoe said:

“This team has been absolutely exceptional in so many ways. The focus, the determination, the ambition across the whole team has been amazing.

“As the medals started to roll in, the mood in the camp and the belief in the team became infectious and I believe all athletes went out there onto the field of play in the best possible physical and mental condition as a result of that self-confidence. The team has been outstanding across all 11 days of competition.

“I am exceptionally proud of what has been a brilliant team and a brilliant team effort.

“I would like to record my thanks to the National Lottery and the players of the National Lottery, the National Governing Bodies, the Home Nations, the IPC and the Organising Committee for their support in helping us to achieve such fantastic performances at such a fantastic Games.”

“We’re now looking forward to arriving back in the UK as we know that the British public has once again got firmly behind the team and supported us all the way.”

Copyright onEdition 2016© The ParalympicsGB Gold Medal Winners, with a combined haul of 64 gold medals at the Rio Paralympic Games 2016. 

The team will depart Rio on Monday 19 September and land back in the UK on Tuesday 20 September.

A parade to celebrate the success of the ParalympicsGB and Team GB was announced during the Olympic Games. 

As flagbearer Cox represented one of the most successful British Paralympic teams in history. The team has achieved the most gold medals by a British team since 1988, surpassing there medal target for the games.

Amongst the team there have been numerous ‘stand-out’ performances, but Cox’s achievements have been particularly exceptional.

Cox raced into the record books when she became the first British Paralympian since 1984 to top the podium in two different sports at the same Games. She initially struck gold in the C4/5 500m time trial in the velodrome before claiming victory in the T38 400m in the Olympic Stadium, setting a new world record in the process. Cox also started her quest for medals on the track with an impressive bronze in the T38 100m and ended it by playing a crucial role in winning silver as part of the women’s T35 – T38 4 x 100m relay.

Cox said:

“It was a bit of surprise to be told that I would be flagbearer for the team. I’m really grateful that the team thought that I was good enough for this honour, given the strength of performances across all the athletes [in ParalympicsGB] this time around. I’ve just been doing my own thing as an athlete, preparing and racing and I never thought of being flagbearer.

“It’s a great feeling to know that I’ll be standing at the front of such an exceptional group of athletes from GB, to represent what has been such a successful and high-achieving team.

“I only originally expected just to get to Rio, let alone win medals, so to do this is the icing on the cake of an amazing Games. I couldn’t have imagined this in my wildest dreams. To do something as special as carrying the flag is incredible.”

The choice of Kadeena as flagbearer was made by the Senior Leadership team, led by the Chef de Mission.

Penny Briscoe MBE, ParalympicsGB Chef de Mission, said:

“Kadeena’s achievements in Rio have been absolutely remarkable, and she is the perfect choice to be our flagbearer. To strike gold in two sports is no mean feat, and it pays tribute to her talent, pride and determination and also the work of British Athletics and British Cycling, with the support of National Lottery funding, to help her achieve and surpass her goals.

“As the Games draw to a close we can begin to reflect on the exceptional performances of our athletes and this incredible medal haul. The Closing Ceremony is the perfect way to kick off the celebrations for this record breaking team. I am so proud of each and every member of the team.”

William John Bayley GBR wins 3-1 against Israel Pereira Stroh BRA in the Men’s Singles – Class 7 Gold Medal Match at the Riocentro – Pavilion 3. Monday 12th September 2016. Photo: Thomas Lovelock for OIS/IOC.

It proved to be an exciting finish to day five in Rio as a quick-fire hat-trick of swimming victories took the tally to 28 gold medals.

The day began with Will Bayley winning the men’s table tennis singles (Class 7), and celebrating by climbing on the table, hugging the umpire and jumping on his coach’s shoulders.

Over in the Olympic Stadium Aled Davies won F42 shot put gold, while Jonathan Broom-Edwards took silver in the T44 high jump, and there was another silver in the mixed team compound archery for Jodie Grinham and John Stubbs.

But the other evening’s action came in the pool as Sascha Kindred (200m individual medley SM6), Ellie Simmonds (200m indiviudal medley SM6) and Susie Rodgers (50m butterfly S7) were all victorious in 38 golden minutes for ParalympicsGB.

Eleanor “Ellie” Simmonds GBR competing in the Women’s 200m IM – SM6 Heat 2 in the Olympic Aquatics Stadium. The Paralympic Games, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil , Monday 12th September 2016. Photo: Simon Lodge for OIS/IOC. 

After taking gold in the 200m individual medley S6, Simmonds will return to the pool in search of a third consecutive S6 400m S6 freestyle gold, as wheelchair racer David Weir looks to achieve the same in the T54 1500m on day six.

Joining Simmonds in the pool in the same event will be Ellie Robinson, while Alice Tai, Ollie Hynd and the Stephanies, Millward and Slater, are just some of the others in action today.

While Weir looks to defend a title, Stephen Miller, Georgina Hermitage and Stephen Osborne also have shots at gold in the Olympic Stadium.

At the Olympic Tennis Centre there are two medal chances for ParalympicsGB with Andy Lapthorne and Jamie Burdekin going for bronze in the men’s quad doubles and Lucy Shuker and Jordanne Whiley also doing likewise in the women’s doubles. Gordon Reid and Alfie Hewett face men’s single quarter-finals, as well as a doubles semi-final together.

While at Riocentro, Robert Davies goes for gold in the men’s table tennis class one singles against Korea’s Joo Young Dae.

Tuesday also sees the start of ParalympicsGB’s wheelchair fencing campaign as Dimitri Coutya goes in the men’s individual epee category B preliminary rounds, while Gemma Collis and Piers Gilliver also enter the fray.

In the boccia David Smith begins the BC1 mixed individual event, with Joshua Rowe and Nigel Murray in the BC2, while Kieran Steer and Stephen McGuire go in the BC4 event.

Natasha Baker completes ParalympicsGB’s first involvement in the equestrian Team Test after strong outings for Sophie Wells, Sophie Christiansen and Anne Dunham on Monday.

The women’s wheelchair basketball team has reached the quarter-final stage where they take on China, while recurve archer David Phillips begins his men’s individual campaign in the 1/16 elimination round.

From dry land to the Marina da Gloria and ParalympicsGB have sailors going in the one, two and three-person keelboat classes, with Helena Lucas well placed after Monday’ssailing.

And at the Olympic shooting range Karen Butler and Lorraine Lambert compete in the R8 women’s 50m rifle, three-position, competition, while James Bevis, Ryan Cockbill and Tim Jeffery start their R5 mixed 10m air rifle, prone, qualification campaign.

Bethany Firth GBR breaks the World Record and wins the Gold Medal in the Women’s 100m Backstroke – S14 Final in the Olympic Aquatics Stadium. The Paralympic Games, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday 8th September 2016. Photo: Bob Martin for OIS. 

ParalympicsGB finished the opening day second in the Paralympic Games medal table after a series of incredible performances which saw the team win five gold, three silver and three bronze.

There were golden successes in the pool as Bethany Firth defended her 100m backstroke S14 title, and Ollie Hynd set a new world record winning the 400m freestyle S8 final.

While in the velodrome Dame Sarah Storey became the most successful British female Paralympian ever with gold in the C5 3,000m individual pursuit. Also on the top of the podium from track events include Megan Giglia winning ParalympicsGB’s first gold of the 2016 games, alongside cycle partners Steve Bate and pilot Adam Duggleby.

After an incredible evening of cycling, Jody Cundy will be looking to continue the success in the combined C4-5 race on Friday with Jon-Allan Butterworth also in the same event.

Commonwealth Games champions Sophie Thornhill and pilot Helen Scott will also have the opportunity to medal in the women’s B 1000m time trial.

Arnu Fourie RSA and Jonnie Peacock GBR race during the Men’s 100m – T44 Heat 1 at the Olympic Stadium. The Paralympic Games, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday 8th September 2016. Photo: Simon Bruty for OIS. 

Reigning Paralympic champion Jonnie Peacock will look to retain his title in the T44 100m final on the track while Sophie Hahn and Georgie Hermitage will be in 100m T37 and T38 finals respectively.

Sprinter Libby Clegg ran a lifetime best 12.17 to successfully qualify for Friday’s T11 100m semi-finals alongside her guide Chris Clarke. Fellow Brit Sammi Kinghorn qualified as the third fastest athlete for tonight’s women’s 100m T53 final after finishing second in the first heat at the Olympic Stadium.

London 2012 silver medallist Stef Reid will also be in medal contention in the F44 long jump at the Olympic Stadium with Hannah Cockcroft beginning her campaign in the 100m T34.

In the pool, 15-year-old Ellie Robinson will be looking to get the better of Paralympic, World and European champion Oksana Khrul from Ukraine in the 50m butterfly S6.

World champion powerlifter Ali Jawad will be aiming improve on his fourth in London in the -59kg category

Stuart Nangle makes his Paralympic debut in the 10m air pistol event with Issy Bailey also in shooting action.

The rowing, which begins at the Lagoa Stadium, is one of three sports kicking off with their first competition action of the Games alongside judo and wheelchair tennis.

Numerous Brits, including Alfie Hewitt and Andy Lapthorne, are in wheelchair tennis action while Jonathan Drane faces Sharif Khalilov in the preliminary round of 16 in the men’s -81kg in the judo with Rachel Morris and Tom Aggar going in the singles sculls.

The wheelchair basketball campaign continues for the ParalympicsGB men and women against Iran and Argentina respectively while there’s plenty of table tennis action throughout the day, with Rob Davies looking to continue his winning streak from Thursday.

Sarah Storey GBR winning the Gold Medal in the Women’s C5 3000M Individual Pursuit in the Rio Olympic Velodrome. The Paralympic Games, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday 8th September 2016. Photo: Al Tielemans for OIS/IOC. 

Dame Sarah Storey, Megan Giglia and Steve Bate all broke world records in the opening track cycling session of Rio 2016 to set up an exciting evening finals session which gets underway at 20:30 GMT +1 and 16:30 local time BRST.

Manchester’s Dame Sarah lined up against fellow Brit Crystal Lane, from Chelmsford, in the women’s C5 3,000m individual pursuit final after she clocked 51.089 to beat her teammate in qualifying.

Victory for 38-year-old Storey sees her claim a 12th gold medal and surpass Tanni Grey-Thompson in her own right as ParalympicsGB’s most decorated female athlete ever.

Stratford-upon-Avon’s Megan Giglia kicked off ParalympicsGB’s cycling campaign at Rio 2016 in style as she broke her own world record – in her first Paralympics race – with a time of 4:03.544 to qualify fastest for the women’s C1-2-3 3,000m individual pursuit final, where she will face USA’s Jamie Whitmore.

And after Storey then broke her own world record, Mytholmroyd’s Steve Bate and his tandem partner Adam Duggleby followed suit in the men’s B 4,000m individual pursuit as they booked their place in the final winning another gold medal for ParalympicsGB cycling. 

Oliver Hynd GBR wins the Gold Medal in the Men’s 400m Freestyle S8 in the Olympic Aquatics Stadium. The Paralympic Games, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday 8th September 2016. Photo: Bob Martin for OIS.

Seven medals for ParalympicsGB swimmers on opening night of sporting action at Rio 2016.

Ollie Hynd and Bethany Firth broke world records on their way to winning gold in the pool at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

Kirkby-in-Ashfield’s Hynd touched home in a time of 4:21.89 in the 400m freestyle S8 to improve upon his silver from London 2012 and his own world record time – not to mention his brother Sam’s Paralympic best.

Nova Centurion swimmer Hynd, who was followed home by Jarrow’s Josef Craig in sixth, said:

“I don’t think there has been a day where I have not thought about London and how disappointed I was not to get the gold so it makes it all worth it now.

“I’m so happy with the time, I wanted to go under 4:20 if I’m honest but a world record, I’m happy with that.

Bethany Firth GBR breaks the World Record and wins the Gold Medal in the Women’s 100m Backstroke – S14 Final in the Olympic Aquatics Stadium. The Paralympic Games, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday 8th September 2016. Photo: Bob Martin for OIS.

ParalympicsGB’s second gold in the pool came through Seaforde’s Firth in the 100m backstroke S14 as her time of 1:04.05 saw her claim a second world record of the day, as teammate Jessica-Jane Applegate finished with bronze.

Firth said:

“I’m so chuffed with that but I couldn’t have done it without the support of everyone back home – especially my church and my family.

“Hopefully there’s many more medals to come for the rest of the team.”

Corsham’s Stephanie Millward claimed ParalympicGB’s second medal of the day in the pool with silver in the 400m freestyle S8, and Cambourne’s Harriet Lee followed that up with silver in the 100m breaststroke S9.

Lee said:

“I just wanted to get out there. The last four years have been a struggle so to get down to this point and swim that time in that race, I feel so happy.

“It feels amazing. I have such amazing support back home and Team Lee have been phenomenal.”

There was also bronze for Andrew Mullen as the Glasgow athlete swam a personal best 2:40.65 in the 200m freestyle S5 to win his first Paralympic medal.

While Jonathan Fox rounded off the night for ParalympicsGB with a silver in the 100m backstroke S7 – Ukraine’s Ievgenii Bogodaiko turning the tables on him from London 2012.

Fox said:

“The last 25m slipped away from me and that’s where he got me. It’s a race. People win and lose. To come back from injury and get to my third Paralympics is an achievement.”

Copyright onEdition 2016© The opening ceremony of the 2016 Paralympic Games taking place in Rio De Janeiro.

Written by Barney Cullum 

Faith in the continuing appeal of the Paralympic Games was rewarded last night as over 50,000 ticket-holders flocked to fill Brazil’s most famous arena, the Maracana.

The opening ceremony was a true carnival, one that will be remembered for its warm light shows, tender Portuguese melodies and – perhaps more than anything else – its somersaulting wheelchair stunt performer.

Reinventing disability as unbreakability is nothing new of course. It has been fashionable since the last Games, London 2012. The ‘superhuman’ portrayal frustrates individuals who would rather have greater empathy, or practical support, than they would deferential adulation. But on the evidence of last night, and the exploits of Aaron ‘Wheelz’ Fotheringham, an appetite remains elsewhere.

Copyright onEdition 2016©
The opening ceremony of the 2016 Paralympic Games taking place in Rio De Janeiro.

It should be said that it’s not just choreographers and marketing types who have warmed to the superhuman theme. Paralympians generally seem flattered by the term. This debate was not resolved last night, but it wasn’t dwelled upon either.

The directors later invited us to question how much we use our sight over other senses, achieving this by flooding the arena with a huge flash of white light. A perfectly synchronised dance routine from two visually impaired dancers then reversed the rhetoric.

The ceremony was full of artistry. It was also, in its second half – as is customary – finally full of athletes. The stars of the Games have almost been lost over the last two months. Politics has dictated that we’ve heard more from the International Paralympic Committee of late than the Paralympians they support. That may change now, after yesterday’s rousing spectacle.

Copyright onEdition 2016© The opening ceremony of the 2016 Paralympic Games taking place in Rio De Janeiro.

The Brazil team received a proud cheer when they came out to complete a lap of the track at dusk, but so did Chile, Colombia… all the South American delegations. With this being the first Games on the continent, it bodes well that there are strong signs of pan-American interest.

Pubs and bars across Rio were showing the opening ceremony too. Although not universally popular, momentum has continued on from the Olympics in Brazil. There appears now to be a chance for the achievements of elite athletes – who happen to have disabilities – to be celebrated like never seen before in Latin America.