Russia topped the medals table at their home Games with a total of 80 medals, 30 of them gold, and medal winning athletes, as well as coaches and medical and support staff who contributed to this unprecedented success, have all been recognised.

Leading the way in the annual ceremony was six-time medal winning cross country skier and biathlete, Mikhalina Lysova, winner of three gold medals at Sochi 2014 and who has now accrued 12 Paralympic medals in just two Games. 

She received the "I Love you, Life Award", while the Russian ice sledge hockey team were awarded the "Personal Example" prize and team member Dmitry Lisov the "Life, and Tears and Love" Awards alongside his wife, Ekaterina.

Alexander Nazarov, head coach of the RussianAlpine skiing team, and Valery Redkozubov, two-time Paralympic champion skier, were also honoured.

Triple Olympic champion Mikhalina Lysova was among those honoured in the awards ceremony ©Getty Images



But athletes from other Paralympic disciplines also received prizes, with International Blind Sport Association Judo World Championship gold medallist, Abdula Kuramagamedov, taking the "Life is a Life" Award.

Dmitry Kokarev, the three-time European champion and double silver medallist from the 2014 International Paralympic Committee Swimming European Championships, received the "Second Breath" Award.

With Sochi named last month as the location for the 2015 International Wheelchair & Amputee Sports Federation World Games, due to take place from September 26 to October 3, there will be many more opportunities for further Russian stars to be made over coming months.