The World Para Athletics Championships have been a major success for Ireland.
A team of ten athletes traveled to London for the Championships that saw Ireland win seven medals. Four golds were split between Jason Smyth and Michael McKillop, while the Cork trio of Niamh McCarthy, Orla Barry and Noelle Lenihan all won silver medals.
Ireland finished in 14th place in the medals table, but were fifth among European teams. The medal tally matches the seven won two years ago in Doha, but that haul saw the team win three golds, three silvers and a bronze.
Speaking to the Paralympics Ireland website after the Championships concluded, team manager James Nolan said the future is looking very bright.
This team have been progressing amazingly well since London 2012. We were successful in Doha 2015 and Rio 2016 but to come away from this World Championships with 7 medals from 10 athletes is truly World Class.
The athletes surpassed all targets set. Taking into account, population, team size and medals won we are one of the strongest Nations in the World of Paralympic Athletics.
With the European Championships next year in Berlin, if this team can reproduce the level of performance seen here in London this week, they will be a dominant force in 2018.
Although Smyth and McKillop are the undoubted stars of the team with numerous Paralympic and World Championship medals, the future looks very strong ahead of next year's European Championships.
Silver medalists Noelle Lenihan (17) and Niamh McCarthy (23) still have numerous Paralympic cycles to go through, while Greta Streimikyte (21), Paul Keogan (25) and Orla Comerford (19) all impressed in London.
As recently as the 2011 World Championships, Ireland won three medals in Christchurch, from a team of eight athletes. The improvement has been noticeable.
Para sports are becoming more popular on these shores by the year. The results in London shows the country is becoming a global force in para athletics.
