Para-sport 'funding neglect' under spotlight as Australia records lowest medal ranking in 36 years

With the Paralympic flame extinguished, Australia's investment in para-sport has come under the spotlight as the nation records a 36-year low on the medal table.

Having not ranked lower than eighth on the medal table since Seoul 1988, Australia finished their campaign in Paris with a haul of 63 medals and 18 gold to finish ninth.

For Australian Paralympic chef de mission Kate McLoughlin the result reaffirms her warning of neglected funding for para-athletes.

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The Australian team ranked ninth on the official medal tally, with 18 gold, 17 silver, and 28 bronze achieved.

The result sees the nation behind countries including the Netherlands, Italy, Ukraine, Brazil and France.

China topped the medal table with 94 gold medals, followed by Team GB with 49 and the USA with 36.

However, since the 90s, the opportunity to win a gold medal in Paralympic sport has been "getting harder and harder" as countries increase their investment and support.

"We had foreshadowed that this [lower ranking] would potentially happen and that we needed to do something about it," McLoughlin said according to The Sydney Morning Herald.

"They finally listened."

The federal government announced earlier this year a commitment to the investment in Paralympic sports over the next two years, with an additional $54.9 million in funding.

But prior to the announcement, McLoughlin said the funding was significantly lacking.

"There was a big gap and the government recognised that, and have come to the party," she said.

"We can now strategise around how we can make sure we use that investment to the best advantage and just make sure we improve the athlete pipeline and identify opportunities in more sports."

The chef de mission noted the success of the Netherlands in Paris, who sent a team half the size of Australia's and placed fourth.

McLoughlin further acknowledged the success of higher-ranked teams could also be attributed to the land mass of the country, with closer proximity to venues and centralised training programs being of significant benefit.

"There's work we need to do on how to try to build that pipeline and have those great opportunities, in spite of geographical isolation," she said.

"It's a lot harder for para-athletes to be centralised without the support network of home and family and job opportunities than for an able-bodied athlete."

While all points of concerns will be investigated by McLoughlin, she stressed that the medal ladder was not a reflection of the athletes' efforts.

"I'm really proud of every single athlete," she said.

"Every athlete on this team did their very, very best. They planned, they trained, they put everything into it. And unfortunately, we can't all win gold," she said.

"[We want to] make sure that we give athletes every single chance of converting those silvers to golds."