Paralympic Games 2016 by the numbers: Oldest, youngest, and figures that matter

AUSTRALIA’S Paralympic team finished in the top five at the Games — five places better than their Olympic comrades. We take a look at their numbers game in Rio.

Silver medallists Ellie Cole, Madeleine Scott, Maddison Elliott and Lakeisha Patterson were part of the successful swim team.

AUSTRALIA’S Paralympic team finished fifth at the Paralympic Games with 81 medals for the seventh successive time in a major show of power in Rio 2016.

With one of their biggest teams — and arguably their best prepared — our 177 athletes pulled off their objective in Rio in style.

While down on the numbers from London it was an extraordinary effort by a team whose talent pool is dwarfed by much larger nations.

We take a look at the Australian team’s numbers game in Rio.

Jessica Gallagher contributed a bronze to cycling’s impressive haul.

1: Gold medals won by Australia in the newest Paralympic sport, triathlon.

2: The number of golds won by cyclist Carol Cooke — T2 Road Time Trial and T2 Road Race

3: Medals won by the sailing team — two gold and one silver.

Australia's Kurt Fearnley won silver in his final event in his fourth Paralympics.

4: Number of Paralympics Kurt Furnley has now won consecutive medals at.

6: Countries that made their Paralympic debuts in Rio — Aruba, Congo, Malawi, Somalia, Sao Tome and Principe, and Togo.

9: Golds won by the swimming team.

10: Silver medals and the number of bronze medals won by the swimming team.

13: The number of medals won by our cyclists: 3 gold, 7 silver, 3 bronze.

13: The age of our youngest competitor, Tamsin Colley in athletics, who was 13 years, 362 days at the star of the event.

Carol Cooke won two gold on the road for Australia.

16: The number of sports Australians contested

23: The number of sports contested in Rio all-up.

25: Australia finished track and field events with 3 gold, 9 silver and 14 bronze for a total of 25 medals in Rio.

Australia's Libby Kosmala is the oldest athlete in Rio.

74: The age of our oldest competitor, shooter Libby Kosmala who was also the oldest at the Games.

81: The total amount of medals won by Australia — 22 gold, 30 silver and 29 bronze.

89: The number of Paralympic debutants in the Aussie team.

176: Nations represented.

Daniel Fitzgibbon and Liesl Tesch won gold in sailing. Every member of the sailing team won a medal in Rio.

177: The number of Australian athletes who competed in Rio.

239: Number of medals won by China — 107 gold, 81 silver and 51 bronze medals

4300: Total number of athletes who competed in Rio.

Originally published as Paralympic Games 2016 by the numbers: Oldest, youngest, and figures that matter