The 2012 Summer Paralympics also marks the return of the Paralympic movement to its spiritual birthplace: the British village of Stoke Mandeville first hosted the Stoke Mandeville Games, an athletics event for disabled British World War II veterans, to coincide with the opening of the 1948 Summer Olympics in London. The Stoke Mandeville Games were the first ever organised sporting event for disabled people, and served as a precursor to the modern Paralympic Games. Stoke Mandeville also co-hosted the 1984 Summer Paralympics with Long Island in the United States after its original host, the University of Illinois in Champaign, Illinois, pulled out due to financial issues.
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 04: Tracey Hinton of Great Britain and her guide Steffan Hughes compete in the Women's 100m - T11 heats on day 6 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at Olympic Stadium on September 4, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 06: Hannah Cockroft of Great Britain wins gold in the Women's 200m - T34 Final on day 8 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at Olympic Stadium on September 6, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Britain's Jody Cundy reacts after hearing from officials that he will be given a restart in the men's individual C4-5 1km time trial cycling event during the London 2012 Paralympic Games at the Olympic Park's Veldrome in east London on August 31, 2012. British Paralympic track cyclist Jody Cundy was denied a restart in the final of men's C4/5 1km time-trial, leaving the 2008 champion from Beijing distraught. The C4 rider suffered a problem at the start of the race and cycled off the track to start again, despite his coach's insistence that it was not allowed. Officials confirmed that his start was down to rider error, rather than equipment failure, and classed him as DNF -- did not finish -- provoking an angry response from Cundy and boos from the partisan crowd. AFP PHOTO / GLYN KIRKGLYN KIRK/AFP/GettyImages
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 07: Dagmara Witos-Eze of Poland (L) in action with Pui Shan Fan of Hong Kong, China during the Women's Team Wheelchair Fencing on day 9 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at ExCel on September 7, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 03: Stephanie Grebe of Germany competes in her bronze medal match in the Women's Singles Table Tennis - Class 6 on day 5 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at ExCel on September 3, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images)
Swiss's Marcel Hug takes part in the Men's 1500m T54 round 1 race at the 2012 Paralympics in London, Monday, Sept. 3, 2012. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Iraq's silver medalist Ahmed Naas, top, and Iraq's bronze medalist Wildan Nukhailawi celebrate with a flag at the end of the men's javelin throw F40 category final during the athletics competition at the 2012 Paralympics, Friday, Sept. 7, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 05: Jiri Jezek of the Czech Republic reacts to winning the Men's Indiviual C4 Time Trial on day 7 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at Brands Hatch on September 5, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 03: Lukasz Mamczarz of Poland competes in the Men's High Jump - F42 on day 5 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at Olympic Stadium on September 3, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
China's Lu Dong grips a towel with her teeth as she prepares to start the women's S6 100m backstroke swimming heats during the London 2012 Paralympic Games at the Olympic Park's Aquatics Centre in east London on August 30, 2012. AFP PHOTO / BEN STANSALLBEN STANSALL/AFP/GettyImages
London 2012 Paralympic Games...Paralympics - London 2012 Paralympic Games - Basketball Arena - 6/9/12 Wheelchair Rugby - Sweden v Australia Pool B - Australia's Ryley Batt is tackled by Swedenls Per Johan Uhlmann (L) Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Steven Paston Livepic
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 04: Yohansson Nascimento of Brazil celebrates winning silver in the Men's 400m - T46 Final on day 6 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at Olympic Stadium on September 4, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Fireworks during the Opening Ceremony for the London Paralympic Games 2012 at the Olympic Stadium, London. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday August 29, 2012. See PA story PARALYMPICS Opening Ceremony. Photo credit should read: Anthony Devlin/PA Wire. EDITORIAL USE ONLY
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 06: Sophie Pascoe of New Zealand celebrates after winning the Women's 100m Freestyle - S10 final on day 8 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at Aquatics Centre on September 6, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Hannah Johnston/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 02: Alan Fonteles Cardoso Oliveira of Brazil is congratulated by Oscar Pistorius of South Africa after winning gold in the Men's 200m - T44 Final on day 4 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at Olympic Stadium on September 2, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
Great Britain's Susannah Rodgers adjusts her cap ahead of her Women's 100m Freestyle S7 Final at the 2012 Paralympics Olympics, Monday, Sept. 3, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 03: Matt Stutzman of the United States competes in the Men's Individual Compound Archery - Open on day 5 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at The Royal Artillery Barracks on September 3, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Dennis Grombkowski/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 04: Tracey Hinton of Great Britain and her guide Steffan Hughes compete in the Women's 100m - T11 heats on day 6 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at Olympic Stadium on September 4, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 02: Jacob Thomas (L) of Great Britain watches as his Sports Assistant places the ball before using a helmet mounted attachment to launch a ball from the ramp during the BC3 Mixed Pairs Boccia pool match against Greece on day 4 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at ExCel on September 2, 2012 in London, England. Greece won the match 5-0. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 04: Lucy Shuker (L) and Jordanne Whiley (R) of Great Britain compete in the Women's Doubles Wheelchair Tennis Quarterfinal match against Katharina Kruger and Sabine Ellerbrock of Germany on Day 6 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at Eton Manor on September 4, 2012 in London, England. Great Britain won the match 6-3, 6-3. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
Gold medalist Britain's David Weir, left, races en route to winning the men's 1500m T54 category final during the athletics competition at the 2012 Paralympics, Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 01: Richard Whitehead of Great Britain celebrates winning gold in the Men's 200m - T42 Final on day 3 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at Olympic Stadium on September 1, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) ***BESTPIX***
Italy's Alessandro Zanardi celebrates after winning the gold medal in the men's individual H4 time trial cycling final during the London 2012 Paralympic Games at Brands Hatch circuit, in Kent, southern England on September 5, 2012. AFP PHOTO / LEON NEALLEON NEAL/AFP/GettyImages
