Paralympic 100 metres gold medallist Jonnie Peacock (pictured top) was among nine athletes who progressed to the London 2012 Games through the Aviva Parallel Success programme, which has introduced over 450 athletes to the sport since 2009.

Athletics was the biggest team within ParalympicsGB, with 48 athletes, participating across 85 events.

Of these athletes, 58.3 per cent were first time Paralympians, with 29.2 per cent of athletes competing for Great Britain and Northern Ireland for the first time.

Twenty-four members of the team won medals in 29 events and eleven first-time Paralympians won medals.

The ParalympicsGB athletics team rose from 18th in the medal table at Beijing 2008 to third at London 2012.

Parallel Success emphasises that anyone can do athletics, and works closely with clubs and coaches to increase capacity for disability participation.

The programme is easy to join and there is guidance at every stage.

Initially, any interested athletes should register on a Talent Introduction Day, where they will be given a classification to ensure fair competition.

Athletes are directed to a local club and monitored through the national rankings system, with talented athletes guided through the talent pathway towards the British and Northern Irish athletics teams.

Anyone inspired by London 2012 is being invited to apply to the Parallel Success website or to email Katie Jones at [email protected] for further information about forthcoming Talent ID days.

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