Paralympics 2020 – Great Britain finish second in medal table after brilliant Paralympic Games performance

Memorable, successful, unique. Three words that the ParalympicsGB camp could use to describe their Tokyo 2020 Games, as they clinched second place in the overall medal table.

Whilst inspiring the nation over the best part of the last fortnight, competing with the world’s elite in empty stadiums behind closed doors, GB managed to beat the medal total they achieved at their own Paralympic Games in 2012 in London.

They beat their overall 2012 total by four medals, winning 124 in Tokyo compared to the 120 medals they won in front of the British public.

It seems an age ago the first medal of the Games was collected on the podium by none other than Sarah Storey, who claimed first place in the 3000m individual pursuit.

Storey’s first of three gold medals kicked off an emphatic Games in track cycling for Great Britain, who won 14 medals at Tokyo’s Izu Velodrome, including six gold medals and six silver medals.

One of the most watched Paralympic events involving Great Britain was the wheelchair rugby gold medal match between GB and the United States.

For the first time ever, GB were crowned wheelchair rugby Paralympic gold medallists, beating the three-time champions 54-49.

Thomas Young stunned the world on the track with a gold medal, becoming the first British 100m Paralympic champion.

More success on the track followed. Hannah Cockcroft enjoyed an outstanding Games, she set a new world record in the T34 100m, and then set a Paralympic record in the T34 800m in a blistering performance.

Out of the 124 British medals won at Tokyo 2020, 41 were gold, 38 silver, and the remaining 45 were bronze medals.

China ran away with the top spot, winning 96 gold medals and 207 overall, whilst the United States finished third behind GB with a total of 104 medals.