GREAT Britain claimed a historic first Paralympic medal in wheelchair rugby today, storming to gold with a superb 54-49 win over three-time champions the United States.

Spearheaded by 24 tries from Jim Roberts, Paralympics GB triumphed in Tokyo having led at the end of each quarter.

“What an amazing shift for the guys — that was one to remember,” Welshman Roberts said.

“We knew there would be some amazing teams, and USA always beat us in the major tournaments so it was good to put a nail in that one.”

It represents a milestone moment for the country in the mixed-gender game following previous bests of bronze-medal match defeats in 1996, 2004 and 2008.

Jointly captained by Chris Ryan and Gavin Walker, GB had guaranteed at least bronze yesterday courtesy of a 55-49 win over hosts Japan.

Top scorer Roberts had consistently performed at the Yoyogi National Stadium last week and once again led the way in the showpiece.

Stuart Robinson and Aaron Phipps chipped in with 14 and 11 scores respectively to keep the scoreboard ticking over and ultimately ensure an unprecedented achievement.