Conducted during the IPC General Assembly, the awards recognised the best performing athletes, officials and media from last year's Games.

Vergeer won Best Female after finishing what was described as "one of Paralympic sport's most successful careers," with double gold in London before announcing her retirement from the sport.

In total, Vergeer won eight Paralympic titles, 42 Grand Slam titles and ended her career on a staggering 470-match winning streak in singles which stretched back almost a decade to 2003.

This was enough to beat a field which included the likes of Brazilian sprinter Terezinha Guilhermina and Iranian archer Zahra Nemati, the first female from her country to win a gold medal in either the Olympics or Paralympics. 

"I'm very proud to win this award and after so many years of playing, and London being my last Games, this is something to be really proud of," Vergeer told insidethegames.

She added how it was "extra special" over all her other awards, how "loving" her sport was the key to her longevity, while she described "mental toughness and staying calm" as her biggest strength over her rivals.

Weir matched Vergeer's exploits with the Best Male accolade after securing four titles in eight days in the 800 metres, 1500m, 5,000m and marathon distances in the T54 class at his home Games.

David Weir won honoured for four gold medals at his home Games in London ©Getty Images




He consequently finished ahead of Canadian wheelchair basketball player Patrick Anderson, Australia's wheelchair rugby star Ryley Batt and Brazil's six-times London 2012 swimming champion Daniel Dias.

Hard at training for next season he was not present to pick up his award, which was instead collected on his behalf by Tim Hollingsworth, chief executive of the British Paralympic Association.

"It's just great being recognised for what I did in London," Weir said in a pre-recorded video message.

"It was an amazing achievement, and obviously the IPC could see competing in the T54 events and coming away with four gold medals was one of the toughest things in the world.

"I fulfilled my dream of coming away with four gold medals at a home Games."

Another Dutch star in double-amputee sprinter Marlou van Rhijn won Best Female Games debut, after taking gold and silver medals in London in addition to two world records, while Italian hand cyclist Alex Zanardi's double gold performance was enough to take the men's prize.

Zanardi caught the eye of the world after winning on the Brands Hatch 21 years after he had last competed there as an F3000 driver.

Alex Zanardi provided one of the most iconic moments and photos of London 2012 ©AFP / Getty Images


After a third consecutive Paralympic gold Brazil's football five-a-side squad were awarded Best Team Award.

The most moving moment came in the Best Official category where Germany's Sylvia Sekowska, head table official for wheelchair rugby at London 2012, dedicated the victory to her late husband who had always aspired to compete in the Paralympics.

The evening concluded with the awarding of the Paralympic Order, the highest tribute a person connected with the Paralympic Movement can achieve, to four recipients by IPC President Sir Philip Craven.

Sir Philip Craven poses with the four winners of the Paralympic Order ©George Santamouris