The Paralympic Games have been spectacular – but there needs to be more than a glorious two weeks

Events in Tokyo offered a level of visibility that is missing in many areas of society – we need to build on that, writes Chris Stevenson

ParalympicsGB athletes attend the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games (AFP via Getty)

This weekend marked the end of the latest instalment of the Paralympic Games – another stellar display of sporting excellence in Tokyo, hot on the heels of the Olympics.

However, given the past 18 months, it is all the more remarkable. The athletes of ParalympicsGB have rewarded the faith being shown in them. During this Games, Great Britain recorded its 1,000th Olympic and Paralympic medal since the introduction of National Lottery funding – and we can only hope that things will go from strength to strength.

Great Britain won 124 medals overall, 41 gold, 38 silver and 45 bronze to finish second in the medal table beyond China. It was a fall in the number of medals from Rio – but that came without the participation of Russia who, competing as RPC in Tokyo, placed on the podium 114 times in Japan.