Great Britain at the Paralympics

Great Britain at the Paralympics
Flag of the United Kingdom
IPC code	GBR
NPC	British Paralympic Association
Website	www.paralympics.org.uk
Medals Ranked 2nd	Gold 670 Silver 635 Bronze 649 Total 1,954
Summer appearances
1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020
Winter appearances
1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has participated (under the name "Great Britain") in every summer and winter Paralympic Games.

While the Olympic Games find their origin in Greece, Britain, and specifically the Stoke Mandeville Hospital is recognised as the spiritual home of the Paralympic Games. The first Paralympic Games, held in Rome in 1960, were simultaneously the 9th International Stoke Mandeville Wheelchair Games, a competition first devised by Dr Ludwig Guttmann in 1948 to coincide with the London Olympic Games of 1948, for soldiers with spinal cord injuries being cared for in Stoke Mandeville Hospital. While the Stoke Mandeville Games continue to exist as the IWAS World Games, a specific event for wheelchair and amputee athletes, the Paralympic Games evolved from its Stoke Mandeville Games roots to include a comprehensive range of disabilities. This legacy is commemorated before each Paralympic Games since 2012 with the lighting of a 'legacy flame' at Stoke Mandeville as part of the Paralympic torch event.^[1]

Britain has performed particularly well at the Summer Paralympic Games, consistently finishing between second and fifth on the medal tables - a slightly better performance than at the Olympics reflecting Britain's long-time connection and support of the event. Britain has won two gold medals at the Winter Paralympics and 626 at the Summer Games.Due the historical performances,the british team is second on the all-time Paralympic Games medal table.

Britain was the one of the co-host countries of the 1984 Summer Paralympics in Stoke Mandeville, sharing the duties with New York, and the host of the 2012 Summer Paralympics, in London.

Although the country uses the name "Great Britain", athletes from Northern Ireland are entitled to compete as part of British delegations. Representatives of the devolved Northern Ireland government, however, have objected to the name, which they argue creates a perception that Northern Ireland is not part of the British Olympic team, and have called for the team to be renamed as Team UK.^[2][3]

Under the terms of a long-standing settlement between the British Paralympic Association and the Paralympics Ireland, athletes from Northern Ireland can elect to represent Ireland at the Paralympics, as Northern Irish people are legally entitled to dual citizenship.^[4]

Britain's most successful Paralympian is swimmer turned cyclist Sarah Storey, who took the honour at the 2020 Summer Paralympics when she won her 16th gold medal, and 27th medal in all. Prior to 2020, the record had been held for decades by swimmer Mike Kenny who also won 16 individual gold medals, as well as two relay silvers, in four Games.^[5] Although Great Britain has competed in every Games, the British Paralympic Committee was only founded in 1989, after Kenny's retirement. Media in Britain consistently referred to the most decorated Paralympic athletes from that year, Tanni Grey-Thompson, Dave Roberts and Sarah Storey as Britain's "greatest Paralympians", occasionally with the phrase "of the modern era", attached.^[6] The International Paralympic Committee, however, recognise all of Kenny's eighteen medals as Paralympic medals, and he remains Great Britain's most successful male Paralympian and the most successful British Paralympian in a single sport (Of her 16 gold medals, Storey won 11 in cycling and 5 in swimming).^[7]

Britain's first Paralympic gold was earned at the 1960 Rome Games by Margaret Maughan. Her feat was recognised when Maughan was chosen to light the Paralympic Flame during the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Summer Paralympics.^[8]

Britain's first Winter Paralympic gold was earned at the Sochi 2014 Games by Kelly Gallagher and guide Charlotte Evans in the Women's Super-G Visually impaired.

Multiple athletes have won 4 medals at the Winter Paralympics for Great Britain, each in alpine skiing. Most recently by Menna Fitzpatrick and her guide Jennifer Kehoe in 2018, Jade Etherington and guide Caroline Powell in 2014. Richard Burt won 4 medals across two games in 1992 and 1994. However, Fitzpatrick and her guide Kehoe are the only athletes to have won a gold medal. The only other British athlete to have won a gold medal at the Winter Paralympics is Kelly Gallagher and her guide Charlotte Evans, also in alpine skiing in 2014.

Hosted Games[]

In 2012, Great Britain became the second nation, the other being the United States, to host the Summer Paralympic Games twice.

Games	Host city	Dates	Nations	Participants	Events
1984 Summer Paralympics	Stoke Mandeville	22 July – 1 August	41	1100	603
2012 Summer Paralympics	London	29 August – 9 September	164	4302	503

Medal tables[]

*Red border colour indicates tournament was held on home soil.

Multi medallists[]

Athletes in bold are still active

Summer Paralympics[]

Summer Paralympic multi medallists[]

Athletes who have won at least three gold medals or five medals.

No.	Athlete	Sport(s)	Years	Gender	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Sarah Storey	Swimming Cycling	1992 – 2020	F	17	8	3	28
2	Mike Kenny	Swimming	1976 – 1988	M	16	2	0	18
3	Lee Pearson	Equestrian	2000 - 2020	M	14	2	1	17
4	Tanni Grey-Thompson	Athletics	1988 – 2000	F	11	4	1	16
5	David Roberts	Swimming	2000 – 2008	M	11	4	1	16
6	Isabel Newstead	Athletics Shooting Swimming	1984 - 2004	F	10	4	4	18
7	Carol Bryant	Athletics Table tennis Swimming Wheelchair fencing	1964 - 1976, 1988	F	10	2	5	17
8	Chris Holmes	Swimming	1988 - 2000	M	9	5	1	15
9	Robin Surgeoner	Swimming	1984 - 1988	M	9	0	0	9
10	Robert Matthews	Athletics	1984 - 2004	M	8	4	1	13
11	Jody Cundy	Swimming Cycling	1996 - 2020	M	8	3	1	12
12	Sophie Christiansen	Equestrian	2004 - 2016	F	8	1	1	10
13	Hannah Cockroft	Athletics	2012 - 2020	F	7	0	0	7
14	James Anderson	Swimming	1992 - 2012	M	6	9	2	17
15	Valerie Robertson	Archery Athletics Swimming Wheelchair fencing	1964 - 1976	F	6	4	2	12
16	Dick Thompson	Athletics Wheelchair basketball	1960 - 1968	M	6	3	6	15
17	Darren Kenny	Cycling	2004 - 2012	M	6	3	1	10
18	David Weir	Athletics	2004 - 2016	M	6	2	2	10
19	Janice Burton	Swimming	1984 - 1996	F	5	10	5	20
20	James Muirhead	Swimming	1976 - 1984	M	5	5	3	13
21	Noel Thatcher	Athletics	1984 - 2004	M	5	4	2	11
22	Barbara Anderson	Archery Swimming Table tennis	1960 - 1972	F	5	2	0	7
	David Ellis	Swimming	1964 - 1972	M	5	2	0	7
23	Ellie Simmonds	Swimming	2008 - 2016	F	5	1	2	8
24	Anne Dunham	Equestrian	1996 - 2008	F	5	1	1	7
25	Colin Keay	Athletics	1984 - 1988	M	5	1	0	6
26	Michael Walker	Athletics	1988 - 1992	M	5	0	0	5
	Natasha Baker	Equestrian	2012 - 2016	F	5	0	0	5
28	Margaret Maughan	Archery Dartchery Lawn bowls Swimming	1960 - 1980	F	4	2	0	6
	Deborah Criddle	Equestrian	2004 - 2012	F	4	2	0	6
30	Caroline Innes	Athletics	1992 - 2000	F	4	1	0	5
31	James Crisp	Swimming	2000 - 2012	M	3	6	3	12
32	Margaret McEleny	Swimming	1992 - 2004	F	3	5	7	15
33	Jeanette Chippington	Swimming Paracanoe	1988 - 2004, 2016	F	3	4	6	13
34	Nigel Coultas	Athletics	1988 - 1992	M	3	4	0	7
35	Stephen Payton	Athletics	1996 - 2008	M	3	2	4	9
36	Giles Long	Swimming	1996 - 2004	M	3	2	2	7
37	Kadeena Cox	Athletics Cycling	2016 - 2020	F	3	1	1	5
38	Nicola Tustain	Equestrian	2000 - 2004	F	3	0	3	6
39	Kenny Churchill	Athletics	1992 - 2008	M	3	0	2	5
40	Peter Hull	Swimming	1988 - 1992	M	3	0	0	3
41	Martin Mansell	Swimming	1984 - 1988	M	2	5	1	8
42	Clare Cunningham	Swimming Triathlon	1992 - 1996, 2016	F	1	4	0	5

Multi medals at single Games[]

This is a list of British athletes who have won at least two gold medals in a single Games. Ordered categorically by gold (then silver then bronze) medals earned, sports then year.

No.	Athlete	Sport	Year	Gender	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Pauline Foulds	Swimming	1960	F	5	0	0	5
	Robin Surgeoner	Swimming	1984	M	5	0	0	5
3	Dick Thompson	Athletics	1960	M	4	0	1	7
		Wheelchair basketball			0	1	1
4	Darren Kenny	Cycling	2008	M	4	1	0	5
5	Michael Walker	Athletics	1988	M	4	0	0	4
	Barbara Anderson	Swimming	1960	F	3	0	0	4
		Table tennis			1	0	0
7	Janice Burton	Swimming	1992	F	3	4	0	7
8	James Crisp	Swimming	2000	M	3	2	2	7
9	Sarah Bailey	Swimming	1996	F	3	1	1	5
10	Nigel Coultas	Athletics	1988	M	3	1	0	4
	Bethany Firth	Swimming	2016	F	3	1	0	4
12	Stephen Payton	Athletics	1996	M	3	0	1	4
13	Colin Keay	Athletics	1984	M	3	0	0	3
	Peter Hull	Swimming	1992	M	3	0	0	3
15	Joanne Rout	Swimming	1988	F	2	3	0	5
16	Jeanette Chippington	Swimming	1996	F	2	1	2	5
17	Kadeena Cox	Athletics	2016	F	1	1	1	4
		Cycling			1	0	0
	Ellie Simmonds	Swimming	2012	F	2	1	1	4
18	Thelma Young	Swimming	1988	F	2	0	2	4
19	Nicola Tustain	Equestrian	2000	F	2	0	1	3

Multi medals at a single event[]

This is a list of British athletes who have won at least two gold medals in a single event at the Summer Paralympics. Ordered categorically by medals earned, sports then gold medals earned.

No.	Athlete	Sport	Event	Years	Games	Gender	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Sascha Kindred	Swimming	Men's 200m ind. medley	1996-2016	6	M	4	1	0	5
2	Tommy Taylor	Table tennis	Men's doubles	1960-1980	6	M	4	0	1	5
3	Anne Dunham	Equestrian	Team open	1996-2008	4	F	4	0	0	4
4	Stephen Miller	Athletics	Men's club throw F32/51	1996-2016	6	M	3	1	2	6
5	Kenny Churchill	Athletics	Men's javelin throw F36	1992-2004	4	M	3	0	1	4
6	Caroline Innes	Athletics	Women's 100m T36	1992-2000	3	F	2	1	0	3
7	Emma Brown	Powerlifting	Women's -82 kg	2000-2004	2	F	2	0	0	2
8	Bethany Firth[9]	Swimming	Women's 100m backstroke S14	2016-2020	2	F	2	0	0	0

Most successful Paralympian in a sport[]

This is a list of British athletes who are the most successful Para-athletes in their sport at the Summer Paralympics. Ordered categorically by medals earned, sports then gold medals earned.

Athlete	Sport	Years	Gender	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
Lee Pearson	Equestrian	2000-2020	M	14	2	1	17
Sarah Storey	Cycling	1996-2020	F	9	0	0	9
Michael Shelton	Snooker	1960-1976	M	3	1	1	5
James Fox Pamela Relph Laurence Whiteley Lauren Rowles	Rowing	2012-2020		2	0	0	2

Most appearances[]

This is a list of British athletes who have competed in four or more Summer Paralympics. Active athletes are in bold. Athletes who were aged under 15 years of age and over 40 years of age are in bold.

No.	Athlete	Sport(s)	Birth Year	Games Years	First/Last Age	Gender	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Deanna Coates	Shooting	1954	1984 - 2012 (8)	30 - 58	F	3	3	2	8
	Sarah Storey	Cycling Swimming	1973	1992 - 2020 (8)	15 - 43	F	15	8	3	26
2	Isabel Newstead	Athletics Shooting Swimming	1955	1980 - 2004 (7)	25 - 49	F	10	4	4	18
	James Rawson	Table tennis	1965	1984 - 2008 (7)	19 - 43	M	5	1	2	8
	Anthony Peddle	Powerlifting	1971	1988 - 2012 (7)	17 - 41	M	1	0	2	3
5	Robert Matthews	Athletics	1961	1984 - 2004 (6)	23 - 51	M	8	4	1	13
	Jane Stidever	Swimming	1966	1984 - 2004 (6)	18 - 38	F	5	5	5	15
	James Anderson	Swimming	1963	1992 - 2012 (6)	29 - 49	M	6	9	2	17
	Jody Cundy	Cycling Swimming	1978	1996 - 2016 (6)	18 - 38	M	7	0	3	10
	Stephen Miller	Athletics	1980	1996 - 2016 (6)	16 - 36	M	3	1	2	6
10	Christopher Holmes	Swimming	1971	1988 - 2000 (4)	17 - 29	M	9	5	1	15
	Stephen Brunt	Athletics	1960	1988 - 2000 (4)	18 - 40	M	2	1	0	3

Winter Paralympics[]

No.	Athlete	Sport(s)	Years	Gender	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Menna Fitzpatrick Guide: Jennifer Kehoe	Alpine Skiing	2018	F	1	2	1	4
2	Kelly Gallagher Guide: Charlotte Evans	Alpine Skiing	2010-2014	F	1	0	0	1
3	Jade Etherington Guide: Caroline Powell	Alpine Skiing	2014	F	0	3	1	4
4	Denise Smith	Ice Sledge Speed Racing	1984	F	0	3	0	3
5	Richard Burt	Alpine Skiing	1992-1994	M	0	1	3	4

See also[]

• Great Britain at the Olympics

References[]

Wikinews has related news: Preparedness for 2012 Paralympic Games differs between National Paralympic Committees