Team GB striving to build on their momentum for Rio

The host nation finished third in the medal table with 34 golds – including four each for cyclist Sarah Storey and wheelchair racer David Weir – and 120 in all, behind only China on total medals won.

The haul was 18 more than claimed in Beijing in 2008 and 17 more than the target set by UK Sport, but Britain fell short of their ambition of placing second in the standings, being pipped by Russia in a hotly-contested Games, which featured 503 medal events contested by over 4,200 athletes.

Britain had numerous athletes who won medals in their first Games, while in 50 per cent of the events in which the hosts claimed silver they were beaten by world, Paralympic or continental records.

BPA performance director Penny Briscoe said: “From a performance perspective we are thrilled with what the team has produced.

“We have been in a momentous battle over the last 11 days. We’ve stood tall, we’ve given everything that we could’ve done.

“Fifty-four of our medallists are 22 or under and I think that that bodes really well in terms of our focus as the Games end on Rio.”

There were anticipated gold medals that did not materialise for hot favourites Lee Pearson (equestrian), Jody Cundy (cycling) and Tom Aggar (rowing), among others, and missing out on second place in the table irked Briscoe.

“On one hand we’re absolutely delighted,” added Briscoe. “But we’re never satisfied and we wouldn’t be the nation that we are, have had the success over the last three Paralympiads and be where we believe we can be in Rio, if it didn’t rankle.”

Russia, Ukraine, the United States and Australia joined Britain on a total of 30 gold medals or more, while Brazil, hosts of the XV Paralympics four years hence accumulated more than 20 gold medals.

Russia and Ukraine won the majority of their medals in the pool and in track and field, while Britain won more medals across more sports than ever before.

The BPA will continue to search for new athletes, beginning with a Paralympic Festival in December, to emulate the likes of Peacock and cyclist Mark Colbourne who emerged in the cycle since Beijing, the latter winning Paralympic gold three years after breaking his back in a paragliding accident.

Sports such as goalball and sitting volleyball were not represented in Beijing and took advantage of host nation slots to participate in London.

Discussions over qualification criteria for Rio are still to come as are funding decisions, but the BPA hope to build on London.

BPA chief executive Tim Hollingsworth said: “Our ambition remains the same. We’re on a journey here.

“We don’t want to see this as being a high water mark. This is a journey that we’re on.”