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.

A better comparison might be to London 2012, with the team winning four more medals than in the home Games. In Tokyo, Great Britain also won medals across a broader range of events than ever before. Speaking about the results, the chef de mission for ParalympicsGB, Penny Briscoe, said: “It’s been a rollercoaster cycle but here we are after a historic Games for the Paralympic movement and for us at GB... It’s been complex and intensive and everyone involved should be hugely proud of their efforts. We spoke about embracing the opportunity, and 226 athletes across 19 sports have done that."

Whether politicians like Boris Johnson should be able to bask in this success, given the complaints from many charities and groups that the government has “left behind” disabled people in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, is another matter.

But what can be said is that the Games offer a level of visibility missing in many areas of society. It needs to expand beyond these gold-laden two weeks.

Yours,

Chris Stevenson

Voices editor