Sunday's closing ceremony at the London Olympic Stadium brought to an end not only the biggest-ever Paralympic Games but also a spectacular sporting festival that started with the Olympic Games six weeks ago.

Polish Paralympians are coming home with their bags full of medals They took 9th place in the final medal count, with 36 in total, including 14 gold, 13 silver and 9 bronze medals – a performance that Poland could only dream of during the main Olympic event in London.

China finished top of the Paralympic medals table with 231 medals, including 95 golds. Russia was second and Great Britain finished third.

The 2012 Paralympics broke all manner of records, with 2.7 million tickets sold and the games broadcast in more than 100 countries, Gazeta Wyborcza reported.

The British public displayed an enthusiasm previously unseen in the 52-year history of the Paralympics, many commentators have observed. “The thrilling achievements of the Paralympians have caused us to see them as role models, not victims. They have changed our lives,” wrote The Daily Telegraph.

Poland A.M.