The Games featured 22 medal events for Para-athletes - in athletics, swimming, powerlifting, lawn bowls and, for the first time, track cycling - making it the largest Paralympic programme at any edition of the Games.

This compares with the 10 events seen in Manchester in 2002, the first time any Paralympic events appeared on the programme, increasing to 12 at Melbourne 2006, and 15 four years later in Delhi.

Sir Philip particularly cited the influence of Glasgow 2014 chief executive David Grevemberg, who, as former executive director of sport and international federation relations at the IPC, has played a key role in the integration between the Paralympic Movement and the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF).

"Glasgow 2014 has been a tremendous success," said Sir Philip.

"Huge congratulations must go to our former colleague David Grevemberg, his team and the wonderful volunteers, who have done a terrific job in organising such a great sporting event.

"To build on the success of London 2012 is no mean feat, but Glasgow 2014 has done just that creating a feel good factor that has stretched all the way from the host country, across the Commonwealth, and beyond.

"Everything about the event has been first class - the organisation, the crowds, the coverage - even the famous Scottish weather played fair for most of the time!"

Libby Clegg's success on the track was selected as one of Sir Philip's highlights of Glasgow 2014 ©Getty Images





Sir Philip added that the programme has been "outstanding", with "phenomenal" feedback from all of the athletes, before citing four particular moments that had stood out. 

"Australia's two teenage swimmers - Rowan Crothers and Maddison Elliott - showed they will be forces to be reckoned with next year when our World Championships return to Glasgow, while England's Ali Jawad was in exceptional form on Saturday when he smashed his own powerlifting world record not once, but twice," he said. 

"Three athletes representing Scotland also deserve a special mention too.

"Sprinter Libby Clegg and her guide Mikail Huggins, won Scotland's first Commonwealth track gold for 20 years, and what else can be said about 13-year-old swimmer Erraid Davies?"

"Her smile in winning bronze in the 100m breaststroke lit up the entire Games and will be one of the many highlights I take away from a sensational Glasgow 2014."

Sir Philip, a five-time Paralympian in wheelchair basketball who is also a member of the International Olympic Committee, concluded by looking ahead to Gold Coast 2018.

"In the same way that Glasgow 2014 has helped build on the success of London 2012, Gold Coast 2018 will be the biggest showcase of Para-sport in Australia since the Sydney 2000 Paralympics," he said.

"The Organising Committee is committed to including Para-sport events.

"The IPC, together with the CGF, will be working closely with them to ensure we have a strong programme in four years' time with events that cover athletes and sports which are strongly represented within the Commonwealth."

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