Parallel Games better than ever

British medallists Hazel Robson and Caroline Innes

Ever since 4000 Paralympians marched into the stadium for the lighting of the symbolic flame the Paralympics have created a huge impact on the world of sport. BBC Sport's Paul Dickenson looks back on the Paralympics.

From a personal point of view the most memorable aspect of these Games has been how in the past four years, particularly from a British point of view, but also in Spain and Australia, athletes have been funded in the same way as able-bodied athletes.

The overall result of this has been the standard of sport in the Paralympics has improved considerably.

We have seen something like 50 world records set in the athletics stadium and a similar number in the swimming pool.

Watching the women's basketball final between Australia and Canada confirms how the standard has shot up compared with the final I commentated on in Atlanta.

Marlon Shirley from Olympia won a 100m gold

I know one of the British basketball team, Claire Strange of Loughborough University, and the only reason they didn't do too well here is because they haven't received very much lottery funding - but they will in the next four years, and that will make a huge difference.

It is very difficult to pick any one person out as outstanding - but if I have to I would mention Tanni Grey-Thompson's four gold medals and Caroline Innes, who has announced her retirement, who won two gold medals and a silver.

Another outstanding tale is that of Marlon Shirley, a 21-year-old US athlete from, wait for it, Olympia in Washington State who lost his lower left leg when he was five years old.

As he put it, he was "wrestling with a lawn mower!" He insists that he is not different to able-bodied athletes, he just has a slight disadvantage!

Incidentally, complete with the high-tech 'flexi foot', he won the 100 metres for amputees with a new world record of 11.09 and thinks he can run 10.75 by the next Games.

The Paralympics have gone very well indeed. I was in Sydney for the Olympic Games and I have to admit when I returned, I hoped it would not be a repeat of Atlanta four years ago because that was a shambles.

Wu Yancong sets a world record in the high jump

But the support Australia, and all the organising committee, and the spectators has given has been fantastic.

The only thing I can compare it with is the Olympic Games - it is on a perfectly equal footing from an organisational point of view and everything else, which is fabulous.

I still think the Paralympic movement has a problem, though, in terms of not getting the coverage in the television and media, even if this time it has been better than ever before.

Secondly, in the past it has been a poor second cousin to the Olympic Games whereas everyone has been emphasising here that this time they would like to think of it of being of equal status.

They hope it will live up to the name - parallel Olympics, which is what the term Paralympics means.

Coverage guaranteed

Despite these Games being such a success, there is certainly a lot of concern about the fact that in four years' time the Games may not be held in Athens alongside the Olympics.

I have spoken to one or two people from the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) while I have been out here and they are very worried about the problems in Athens, which have yet to be resolved.

What is of benefit is the IPC has recently signed a contract with an American company called We Media, who will host the next two Games from a broadcasting point of view. So television coverage is guaranteed.

Wherever the next Games are held, it is important they are held in a facility which can host it and not spread all over the city.

Brilliant atmosphere

The great attraction of this event has been walking out into Olympic Park in a morning and being surrounded by hundreds of thousands of people going to not just one event but two or three each day.

The atmosphere in the village has been brilliant. Everything is so close together so as the athletes have finished their events they have been able to move along and support their team-mates.

When I have time to reflect I am certain that the feel-good factor that I had after the Olympic Games will still be there and will be filled with some great memories.