The 2012 London Paralympics set records for athlete participation and ticket sales, raising the global profile of parasports to near parity with the Olympics.
Key Facts
- Dates
- 29 August – 9 September 2012
- Edition
- 14th Summer Paralympic Games
- Athletes
- 4,243 (record)
- Participating committees
- 164 National Paralympic Committees
- Events
- 503 events across 20 sports
- Top medal nation
- China (231 medals, 95 gold)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Growing public enthusiasm following Great Britain's Olympic performance, increased media coverage, awareness of England's historical role in Paralympic origins, and a high-profile advertising campaign by the local rights-holder created conditions for the Games to achieve mass-market appeal for the first time.
The 2012 Summer Paralympics were held in London from 29 August to 9 September 2012, featuring a record 4,243 athletes from 164 National Paralympic Committees competing in 503 events across 20 sports, including the return of intellectual disability events suspended since 2000.
The Games broke ticket-sale records and were declared the 'greatest Paralympic Games ever' by IPC president Philip Craven. China topped the medal table for the third consecutive Summer Paralympics, and the event significantly narrowed the profile gap between the Paralympics and the Olympics.