CHEF DE MISSION Phil Smith is confident that Britain’s tried and tested stars will help to inspire a new generation of athletes to make it on to the podium at the 2030 Winter Paralympics.

British success at Milan Cortina amounted to just the single silver Neil Simpson and guide Rob Poth managed in the men’s alpine combined, although Simpson who won Super-G gold in Beijing four years ago, also had two fourth-placed finishes.

Six-times Paralympic medallist Menna Fitzpatrick, the team’s most decorated athlete, missed out this time around, but was competitive despite missing most of the last two years through injury.

Smith, who had targeted between two and five medals, expects both to be back in contention in the French Alps, as well as the youngsters who have shown promise this time around.

Smith, who admitted his disappointment at the medal haul, told PA: “The great thing is that the athletes that we’ve talked about there, Menna and Neil, have committed to the next four years and we know that if they remain fit and firing through this cycle, they will be right up there, which is great.

“These new, young athletes coming through give us a real hope that they will be joined in that medal zone by these new youngsters.

“I’m really hoping that we see over the next four years development across multiple sports to have an incredibly competitive team in the French Alps in four years’ time.”

Smith cited 16-year-old Scottish skier Dom Allen as an example of the emerging talent in which the coaches are investing such hope.

He said: “Dom Allen, 16 years old, the youngest by three years in his category racing today, a full four years competing on snow for him. I know the coaches and staff around him are so excited about where he might go.”

The curtain came down on the the Games on Sunday night, with the closing ceremony at the Cortina Curling Centre.

Simpson, Poth and wheelchair curler Jo Butterfield were the flag-bearers for Great Britain.