Paralympics Beijing 2008

Top 5 medal table
China, 1^st Place with 211 medals; 89 gold, 70 silver and 52 bronze
Britain, 2^nd Place with 102 medals; 42 gold, 29 silver and 31 bronze
USA, 3^rd Place with 99 medals; 36 gold, 35 silver and 28 bronze
Ukraine, 4^th Place with 74 medals; 24 gold, 18 silver and 32 bronze
Australia, 5^th Place with 79 medals; 23gold, 29 silver and 27 bronze

The 2008 Paralympics ended with the hosts, China, in first place and Britain's ParalympicsGB, in a proud second place with 102 medals, 42 of which were gold. In 2004, Great Britain's Paralympics team also placed 2^nd although with a total medal tally of 94.
A notable achiever amongst our Paralympians was Eleanor Simmonds, who at only 13 years old became Britain's youngest ever individual Paralympic gold medallist. Darren Kenny, the track cyclist, was ParalympicsGB's most-celebrated sports person, winning four golds and a silver medal.
Swimmer Dave Roberts has now won an amazing 11 Paralympic golds. He added four medals to those he had won in Sydney and Athens. Lee Pearson, ParalympicsGB equestrian rider, increased his haul to nine gold medals after adding three more at the 2008 equestrian events held in Hong Kong, China.

Gold medal winners
Darren Kenny 4 gold in Cycling
David Roberts 4 gold in Swimming
Lee Pearson 3 gold in Equestrian
Mark Bristow 2 gold in Cycling
Sophie Christiansen 2 gold in Equestrian
Jody Cundy 2 gold in Cycling
Anne Dunham 2 gold in Equestrian
Anthony Kappes, Barney Storey 2 gold in Cycling
Sascha Kindred 2 gold in Swimming
Aileen McGlynn, Ellen Hunter 2 gold in Cycling
Simon Richardson 2 gold in Cycling
Eleanor Simmonds 2 gold in Swimming
David Stone 2 gold in Cycling
Sarah Storey 2 gold in Cycling
David Weir 2 gold in Athletics
Tom Aggar 1 gold in Rowing
Danielle Brown 1 gold in Archery
Heather Frederiksen 1 gold in Swimming
Rachel Morris 1 gold in Cycling
Dan Bentley, David Smith, Zoe Robinson, Nigel Murray 1 gold in Boccia
Graham Edmunds 1 gold in Swimming
Sam Hynd 1 gold in Swimming
Liz Johnson 1 gold in Swimming
Simon Laurens 1 gold in Equestrian
Peter Norfolk 1 gold in Tennis
Helene Raynsford 1 gold in Rowing
Matt Skelhon 1 gold in Shooting
John Stubbs 1 gold in Archery
Matt Walker 1 gold in Swimming
Robert Welbourn 1 gold in Swimming

With a majority of the 2008 British Paralympians participating at the Paralympics for only their first time, there is a strong base for growth prior to the 2012 games.In the UK, disabled athletes are now dispersed among regular athletes at schools and clubs rather than at specialist schools as in the past. The success of this integration is in itself presenting a new challenge to the British Paralympic Association (BPA). BPA are now struggling to readily identify new talent in preparation for London 2012. ParalympicsGB Chief Executive, Phil Lane, has called for disabled people from across the UK to engage in sport through Parasport.org.uk. The aim of Parasport, a joint initiative between BPA and professional services firm Deloitte, is to improve the system whereby talented sports people are identified and supported.

"The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well" Baron Pierre de Coubertin, 1824