By Elizabeth Hudson BBC Sport in Athens

Following hot on the heels of a thrilling Olympics in Athens, the XII Paralympic Games did not disappoint when it came to continuing the drama.

Standards rose across all sports, which meant there was plenty of competitive action to keep the audience glued to their seats.

Unfortunately, that audience was not as big as many would have hoped. Not all of the seats in the widely praised venues were filled, which meant many athletes' feats did not receive the support they deserved.

BBC Sport rounds up the highs and lows of the Paralympic Games in Athens.

Tanni Grey Thompson became Britain's most successful Paralympian of all time when she collected two titles in Greece.

There were mixed emotions for Grey Thompson in Athens

The Welsh 35-year-old powered to victory in the T53 100m and 400m to take her tally to 11 career golds.

There were many other British performances to be proud of, too.

Athlete Danny Crates clinched his T46 800m gold medal, Isabel Newstead won her 14th Paralympic shooting medal, and there were successes in the pool from Jim Anderson, David Roberts, Sascha Kindred and Nyree Lewis to name but a few.

Some international stars also shone brightly, especially Canadian wheelchair racer Chantal Petitclerc who was in devastating form.

Petitclerc was the dominant athlete in the T54 category, winning the 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1500m races.

Her achievement, as well as the fact she beat Grey Thompson in the 200m, all helped to raise her profile with a wider audience.

Tanni shines as Britain's best

South African teenager Oscar Pistorious might be a double leg amputee but the 17-year-old was one of the most impressive runners of the Paralympics.

Times of 21.97 seconds in the T44 200m and 11.16 in the 100m left many wondering how much faster he can go in the future.

His compatriot, swimmer Natalie du Toit, also had a Games to remember with five golds and a silver medal.

Du Toit, who lost her leg in an accident a couple of years ago, came to prominence during the Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games and is a real star.

A poignant reminder that sport is not just about winning came from GB equestrian leader Lee Pearson during the medal ceremony of the grade I dressage.

Duo take dressage gold

After receiving his gold medal, Pearson made his way over to Frenchwoman Valerie Salles, whose horse Arestote had collapsed and died in the ring when the pair were due to enter the dressage arena.

In such a close-knit sport, it had a huge effect on everyone and there was not a dry eye in the house when Pearson presented Salles with his bouquet.

The confusion over the classification of British wheelchair racer Jenny Ridley cast a shadow over Team GB's athletics squad.

The 20-year-old, who was tipped for medals in Athens, was re-classified at the start of the Games and was told to compete alongside less disabled athletes.

She decided to pull out instead, but is young enough, talented enough and determined enough to make a big impact in the sport when the classification issue is resolved.

Some of the scheduling of events also raised a few eyebrows.

Adams was disappointed to contest his race in front of a handful of fans

Whose bright idea was it to hold the prestigious men's T54 1500m at 0900 in front of a couple of dozen people?

Canadian athlete Jeff Adams reckoned he competed in front of more people at his regional championships and it was a shame the race was not better placed in the timetable.

Grey Thompson's despair after failing to win a medal in the T53 800m added to the early disappointment at the Olympic Stadium.

There was also early gloom for the well-fancied British men's basketball team who lost their opening game to Italy in a match they could have easily won.

Athletes angry at early start

But the team later bounced back and went on to grab a well-deserved bronze medal.

The USA might have finished fourth in the medal table but the achievements of their athletes were barely acknowledged at home.

After bringing a massive team to the Olympics, broadcaster NBC seemed to ignore the Paralympics almost completely.

The best the Paralympians can hope for is a highlights programme on one of the smaller networks in November - scant reward for all their efforts.