The 2012 Paralympics, held in London, brought Russia 36 gold medals. The achievements of domestic athletes were appreciated all over the world, giving Russia the team deserved second place.
The Russian athletes who went to the 2012 Paralympics in London showed excellent results, having won the second place in the number of gold medals after the Chinese national team.
In 2012, the Russian Paralympians demonstrated the highest level of training and earned 36 gold medals and 38 silver medals. Bronze was won by 28 people. After returning from London, they were also awarded honorary state awards, which were presented to them personally by Russian President Vladimir Putin. He also noted that the results of the national delegation at the Paralympic Games are a real triumph, to which the team has been going for many years.
This year, the Russian Paralympic team consisted of 128 athletes. According to Vladimir Lukin, President of the Russian Paralympic Committee, Russian athletes have made a colossal step forward, which no one expected. At the previous Games, which took place four years ago, the Russian national team won only 18 gold medals without making it into the top three winning countries.
Paralympic participants competed in twelve sports disciplines, but Lukin especially noted the successes of Russian swimmers and track and field athletes. As many as five gold medals were brought to Russia by swimmer Oksana Savchenko, who gained worldwide fame at the last Paralympics in Beijing, becoming a three-time champion. In 2012, she broke her own record, successfully performing at five different distances and setting the world record in the 50 meter freestyle. Olesya Vladykina also showed a confident victory in her swimming class, who took a full set of medals from London, winning gold, silver and bronze.
19 gold medals to Russia were brought by athletes with visual impairments and musculoskeletal disorders, performing in different classes. This can undoubtedly be called a major breakthrough, since at the previous Paralympics in athletics, Russia won only three gold medals. Over the past four years, the training program for athletes has been improved, the coaching staff of the Paralympic team has changed, and this could not but affect the results that the Russians showed in London. Alexey Ashapatov, team leader, won the discus throw and shot put. Athlete Margarita Goncharova brought the Russian team three gold medals and one silver.
Finally, the last gold for Russia was brought by the players, who won a landslide victory in the final match with a score of 1: 0. Athletes with disabilities do not plan to stop there: in four years, they will have new games that will be held in Rio de Janeiro.
