It is 19 more countries than competed in Beijing four years ago, with over 4,000 athletes set to take part in the Games that receive the starter's gun in late August.

Sixteen of those are taking part in the Paralympics for the first time, including Comoros and Djibouti, both in Africa, and the United States Virgin Islands in the Caribbean.

As well as being the largest ever, this year represents a return to the birthplace of the Paralympics, which began at Stoke Mandeville in 1948, the last time London hosted the Olympics.

It was recently confirmed too that the Paralympic Games will continue to be hosted by the same city which stages the Olympics until at least 2020.


International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Sir Philip Craven (pictured above) said: "It's fantastic news to mark 100 days to go that we can announce that the London Games will be the biggest ever.

"The Paralympic Games continues to grow in size and stature each edition, and it is even more pleasing that Great Britain, the spiritual birthplace of the Paralympic Movement, will get to host the biggest ever Paralympic Games later this year.

"It's hard to believe that the forerunner to the Paralympics took place just 64 years ago at Stoke Mandeville Hospital with 16 injured war veterans, when you consider that 4,200 elite athletes will now compete in London."

Sir Philip added: "The Games won't just be the biggest ever in terms of athletes and countries either.

"I also believe the levels of athletic performance will reach new levels, and away from the field of play London could be the Paralympic Movement's first sold-out Games in terms of spectators."

He added: "A record number of TV viewers around the world are also set to tune in.

"The recent Paralympic test events gave us all a flavour of what we can expect later this summer – and between now and 29 August the excitement levels will continue to rise to astronomical levels."


More than a million tickets have so far been sold by London 2012 for the Paralympics.

Tickets have gone back on sale today to coincide with the 100 days to go milestone, with availability for almost every event.

This summer's Paralympics will also break the broadcast revenue record of £10 million ($15.8 million/€12.4 million) collected from the sale of television rights.

An estimated four billion people are expected watch the Paralympics between August 29 and September 9.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
May 2012: Exclusive - What we have achieved with Paralympic Games is unprecedented, claims London 2012 chief
April 2012: Broadcasting rights for London 2012 Paralympics garner record revenues
March 2012: IPC President praises British Government commitment to the Paralympics
February 2012: Sir Philip Craven - Six months to go and everything is coming together nicely
February 2012: Exclusive - Paralympic sport will never be the same again after London 2012, says Baroness Tanni