HISTORY OF PARALYMPIC MEDALS
The need to create trophies and medals for Para athletes arose at the Stoke Mandeville Games – the predecessor of the Paralympic Games and Paralympic Winter Games – which began in 1948.
While today, as part of the co-operation agreement between the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), medals for both the Olympic and Paralympic Games have to be made of the same materials and be of similar design, in the past, it was up to the local Organising Committee of the Games to produce their own medals.
The Stoke Mandeville Games did not always feature medals. However, they did have trophies and diplomas for the participating athletes.
Medals for athletes have been used in every games since Rome 1960 - click through the gallery below to see a selection of Paralympic medals through the years.
PARALYMPIC GAMES MEDALS
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CaptionThe medals of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic GamesImagenⒸTokyo 2020
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CaptionThe medals of the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter GamesImagenⒸPOCOG
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CaptionThe medals of the Rio 2016 Paralympic GamesImagenⒸRio 2016
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CaptionThe medals of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter GamesImagenⒸIPC
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CaptionThe medals of the London 2012 Paralympic GamesImagenⒸGetty Images
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CaptionThe medals of the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter GamesImagenⒸGetty Images
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CaptionThe medals of the Beijing 2008 Paralympic GamesImagenⒸIPC
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CaptionThe medals of the Torino 2006 Paralympic Winter GamesImagenⒸIPC
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CaptionThe medals of the Athens 2004 Paralympic GamesImagenⒸIPC
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CaptionThe medals of the Salt Lake City 2002 Paralympic Winter GamesImagenⒸIPC
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CaptionThe medals of the Sydney 2000 Paralympic GamesImagenⒸIPC
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CaptionThe medals of the Nagano 1998 Paralympic Winter GamesImagenⒸIPC
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CaptionThe medals of the Atlanta 1996 Paralympic GamesImagenⒸIPC
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CaptionThe medals of the Lillehammer 1994 Paralympic Winter GamesImagenⒸIPC
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CaptionThe medals of the Barcelona 1992 Paralympic GamesImagenⒸIPC
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CaptionThe medals of the Seoul 1988 Paralympic GamesImagenⒸIPC
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CaptionThe medals of the Innsbruck 1984 Paralympic Winter GamesImagenⒸIPC
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CaptionThe medals of the New York / Stoke Mandeville 1984 Paralympic GamesImagenⒸIPC
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CaptionThe medals of the Geilo 1980 Paralympic Winter GamesImagenⒸIPC
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CaptionThe medals of the Toronto 1976 Paralympic GamesImagenⒸPan Nadas
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CaptionThe medals of the Heidelberg 1972 Paralympic GamesImagen
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CaptionThe medals of the Tel Aviv 1968 Paralympic GamesImagenⒸIPC
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CaptionThe medals of the Tokyo 1964 Paralympic GamesImagenⒸJapanese Paralympic Committee
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NameThe medals of the Rome 1960 Paralympic GamesImagenⒸNational Paralympic Heritage Trust’