MOSCOW, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- A senior Russian sports official said Wednesday that the Russian team achieved their goals at the just-ended Paralympic Games in the Chinese capital of Beijing.

    "We are returning home with pride. We looked a worthy team and we have accomplished everything we wanted to," RIA Novosti cited Vladimir Lukin, the head of the Russian Paralympics Committee as saying.

    The Russian team, which had set itself the target of making the top 10, finished in eighth place, having won 18 gold, 23 silver and 22 bronze medals.

    This is a great improvement for the Russians, who finished in 11th place at the 2004 Athens Paralympics with 16 gold, 8 silver and 17 bronze medals, RIA said.

    A total of 145 Russian athletes took part in the Games, compared to 84 at the 2004 Athens Paralympics.