Today marks exactly one year until the Rio 2016 Paralympics get underway in one of the most fervent cities in the world.

Rio will have a tough time outdoing the last Games in London, when Great Britain delighted sell-out crowds with a third-placed finish at the most successful Paralympics ever.

Three years on and following GB's third straight title at the recent European Wheelchair Basketball Championships, 93 slots have been secured for next year's Games, although Sailor Helena Lucas is the only confirmed name on the teamsheet.

Many more places will be snapped up between now and the time to fly to Brazil next year, and in charge of the lot is ParalympicsGB chef de mission Penny Briscoe, who we recently caught up with to see how the team is shaping up 365 days ahead of the Games.

Penny, chef de mission is a fancy title - what is it exactly that you do?

"It's basically a team leader. I lead the mission, the team. I've got overall responsibility for the preparation and delivery of the ParalympicsGB team. It's the best job in the world really, isn't it?"

You were chef de mission for the GB team at the Winter Paralympics in Sochi last year. How will that experience help going into Rio?

"It was fantastic from a personal perspective to get the nod in Sochi having done a number of Games as deputy chef. While the scale of the Winter Games is quite different, the look and the feel and what's going on is actually quite similar.

"For us, the primary objective as ParalympicsGB is to create the right environment to support the athletes and sports when they come together in what is a very, very unique environment. There's potentially 22 sports and over 300 athletes coming together.

"What we pride ourselves on is working on the detail and ensuring that what we put in place really does support every athlete and sport."

It's a big team shaping up for Rio, but can you do better than London? You were just two gold medals behind Russia in second place - is the target to bridge that gap?

"The clear stated objective is to be the most successful post-host Games nation ever. That's a target that sits across both Olympic and Paralympic sports so the idea is not to suffer a post-host nation dip and actually go on and really cement our position as a world-leading nation.

"From what we've seen so far [since London], things look very promising and there's been some tremendous performances both last season and this season. There's certainly reason to be very positive, but there's still much more to do and much more to come.

"We're having a good cycle and there's been some promising displays in new sports like para-canoe and para-triathlon. We feel like it's a really exciting time, not only for us as ParalympicsGB but also the Paralympic movement as it shows the ability of elite disabled athletes."

How much harder do you think that it will be when you're on the other side of the world in Rio, compared to a home Games in London?

"Well, we have more experience at away Games so you could say we're going back to doing what we know best. We've been a leading Paralympic nation at away games for many years.

"We're looking forward to it and, for me, Rio is the perfect foil for London. They couldn't have picked a better host nation. I don't think there will be direct comparisons with what London delivered as a very developed Western nation.

"We will get a different Games in Rio and I think it's one that will be characterised by an incredible carnival atmosphere. It's a nation that loves sport and the outdoors."

There are a few concerns over some of the venues and if they'll be ready in time for the Olympics and Paralympics. Are you confident Rio can deliver on time?

"Progress across the venues is a bit mixed, but the latest news from the IOC is that they're pretty pleased. It's a big year ahead.

"A lot of the hard work has been done but there's still a lot to do. We've got multiple trips planned in the next 10 months to keep an eye on things."

This will be your seventh Paralympics. Can you put into words just how much disability sport has grown and how the perception of it has changed?

"Crikey! I could talk all afternoon if you wanted me to. I honestly couldn't have imagined the change that has happened. It was a bit of a shock when I moved over from the Olympic team in 2001.

"At my first Paralympics in 2004 it felt like it was a completely different environment. Not in terms of the talent, but the sophistication of the programs at that stage and also the general interest in elite disability sport.

"The crowds were non-existent in Athens and I felt saddened in some ways that the interest wasn't there because it should have been from what I was seeing on the field of play - this was a time when Tanni Grey-Thompson was competing for example.

"So we've tried to create change and I feel proud to say that London created the platform where Paralympic athletes were able to step out of the shadows of their Olympic counterparts. To have been involved in such a pivotal, seminal moment; it still gives me goosebumps.

"Paralympic sport is on a march. We saw it in London with the greatest-ever Paralympic Games and performances that a decade ago we didn't think were possible."