The Rio Paralympic Games closed late Sunday, having defied expectations in more ways than one.

At one point, the XV Paralympics were not even going to have a closing ceremony.

Such were the swingeing cuts necessary after Paralympic funds were used as contingency for the Olympics that the Rio 2016 organising committee considered not having a final extravaganza for the Paralympics.

Fortunately they were persuaded otherwise as Brazil belatedly backed a Games which a month earlier had been mired in the worst build-up in the Paralympics’ 56-year history.

The Games – and perceptions of what is possible – were transformed. For 11 days spirits were raised in a nation mired in economic and political turmoil.

It was revealed during the final week of the Olympics that just 200,000 tickets (or 12 per cent of those available) had been sold for the Paralympics.

But the apprehension and trepidation which greeted that stark statistic soon cleared.

International Paralympic Committee president Sir Philip Craven dubbed these the People’s Games when they opened at the Maracana Stadium 12 days ago. And the people responded.

Cariocas – Rio’s residents – came in vast numbers to witness what is possible.

More than 2.1 million tickets were sold, second only to London 2012.

The first Saturday on the Paralympic Park saw 167,000 spectators attend – more than at any point during the Olympics.

After swimming through a virtual pool at the opening ceremony on September 7, the first night saw Daniel Dias swim through a cauldron of noise to his 11th Paralympic gold medal.

The 28-year-old, who was born with one fully formed limb, added three more as the noise repeatedly rose to the same decibel level. He is a hero in Brazil, adding to his status with three more golds.

There are more heroes.

Jefinho, the Paralympic Pele, began playing football aged 12, five years after the glaucoma with which he was born left him blind. He scored goals Neymar would have been proud of and, like the Selecao number 10, helped Brazil to gold.

Egypt’s Ibrahim Hamadtou is a table tennis player. He lost his arms in a train accident and serves the ball by flicking it up with his foot. He holds his bat in his mouth.

Each of the 4,300 athletes has a story to tell, of adversity overcome. Of showing what is possible when someone puts their mind to something. But they wish to be considered athletes first and foremost –  and so they should.

The Paralympics showcased elite sport. We were continually astounded by what the human spirit can achieve.

We were also reminded of the fragility of us all when the Games were touched by tragedy on Saturday’s penultimate day of competition. Iranian cyclist Bahman Golbarnezhad crashed and later died.

The Paralympic movement united in grief.

Iran finished the Paralympics with a sitting volleyball gold which was dedicated to Golbarnezhad.

There was a sombre atmosphere in the air at the closing cere-mony but also one of unity... and more rain.

Bob Marley’s lyrics rang around the Maracana – “One love, one heart, let’s get together and feel all right” – and an athlete conga of nations danced through the aisles.

The Rio Paralympic Games, not so long ago an after-thought for those organising them, have been spectacular.

Tokyo 2020 is expected to be the most unified of Olympic Games and the Paralympics yet. It is host of the Paralympic Games for a second time.

There are 1,437 days to go... now it is the turn of the Land of the Rising Sun to shine a new light on the world.