The basketball team were narrowly beaten 61-56 in their final against the United States, who finished the event unbeaten, while the footballers lost 4-2 to Brazil in their final  – the same score as their round robin match on Wednesday (May 23).

Both games were broadcast live on Channel 4.

Simon Munn was the basketball team's top scorer with 16 points, while in the football final Alistair-Patrick Heselton and the hugely promising Ibrahima Diallo scored consolations after Brazil, who finished fourth at the Beijing Paralympics, had taken a 4-0 lead through two goals from Wanderson Oliveira, Fernandes Vieira and Yurig Ribeiro.

George Fletcher, the 17-year-old who scored a hat-trick against the US on Thursday (May 24), commented: "We shouldn't have let Brazil get those early goals, and we were punished for them.

"But we have to take what we can from the match.

"We will use this process now as we look ahead to the Paralympics.

"Hopefully we will get Brazil back at the Games – we just need to learn how to defend against teams like them.

"Our first game at the Paralympics is against Brazil and we will be gunning for them."

Britain's silver medal, under the managership of former Ilford and Bishop's Stortford forward Lyndon Lynch, was an improvement on their third-place finish in the BT Paralympic World Cup two years ago.

Earlier in the day, the US took the football bronze by beating the Republic of Ireland 2-1.

In the men's wheelchair event, Germany finished third by beating Japan 59-54.


Although Britain's women's team in the basketball lost its bronze medal play-off to the US, the overall performance this week was enough to give the host nation the trophy.

Earlier in the week, Great Britain beat the Czech Republic in an enthralling boccia series, with brothers Stephen and Peter McGuire representing the hosts, while Oscar Pistorius, Jeremy Campbell and Graeme Ballard all starred in the athletics on the opening day of competition, with the latter two setting world records in the discus and the T36 100 metres respectively.

The women's wheelchair basketball competition was won by Germany, who beat Australia 47-40 in the final thanks largely to the efforts of Marina Mohen, who scored 37 of her side's points.

Over the five days of competition more than 200 athletes from 30 countries competed in front of more than 11,000 spectators.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected] 


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