ParalympicsGB’s inspiring performance at London 2012 continued today with the team achieving the target set by UK Sport of at least 103 medals in at least 12 sports.
The silver medal won by Heather Frederiksen took the tally to 103 medals – one more than the performance of the team in Beijing with three days of competition still remaining.
With medals now won across 13 different sports, ParalympicsGB has now also met the target of “more medals in more sports” with Powerlifting, Sailing and Disability Table Tennis the newcomers to the medallists when compared with Beijing.
UK Sport invested a record £49.2m of National Lottery and Government funds for the four year London cycle to ensure this was the best prepared GB team in the history of Paralympic sport.
Liz Nicholl, Chief Executive of UK Sport, said: “To win at least 103 medals is a fantastic achievement particularly when you consider Paralympic sport is becoming hugely competitive with more nations investing significant resources in success.
“UK Sport’s Mission 2012 process, through which we track how the athletes and the system within each sport is performing, gave us confidence that the Paralympic sports could deliver on this scale in London. It’s been fantastic to witness and celebrate the medals being won.
“These Games really do demonstrate the power of Paralympic sport to change lives and I am proud of UK Sport’s role in driving the development of our performance system to ensure these remarkable athletes have the opportunity to fulfil their enormous potential.”
UK Sport set out its ambitions for Paralympics GB in August in the final Mission 2012 submission of the London cycle with a record 16 sports targeting medals in London.
Using the aggregate of each individual sport’s target, UK Sport published a medal range of between 95 and 145 medals, from which it committed to targeting a minimum of 103 medals, from at least 12 sports with an aspiration to also finish in second place in the medal table.
Baroness Sue Campbell, Chair of UK Sport, said: “The London Paralympics Games have been a truly wonderful display of sporting excellence and a testament to the power of the human spirit. To see what our athletes have achieved has been inspirational.
“This success is further proof that UK Sport’s high performance system, funded by National Lottery, Government and private investment through Team 2012 investment, is one of the best in the world. Our Paralympic athletes have continued where their Olympic counterparts left off with a succession of truly brilliant and inspiring performances.
“For ParalympicsGB to reach this target with several days of competition still to go is a clear demonstration of the immense talent of the athletes on the programme, their hard work and dedication and the support network we have helped build around them.”
Hugh Robertson Minister for Sport and Olympics said: “ParalympicsGB have performed superbly to better the medal count from Beijing on home soil.
“They have made the nation proud with some inspirational displays at the highest level in sport. With funding already secured for Paralympics GB in the run up to Rio I am confident that disability sport in this country will go from strength to strength.”