By Tom Degun

ellie simmonds_20-07-11October 24 - China's swimmers sent an emphatic message to their rivals ahead of the London 2012 Paralympics when they set 17 world records at the Eighth China National Games for the disabled.


The event, in Hangzhou, is a major stepping stone to the 2012 Games for China's top swimmers, who also claimed 113 national records.

Stand-out performer was Zheng Ygonqi, who set five record times and won three gold medals, as well as a silver.

"I have not had the chance to race in a Paralympics yet," said Ygonqi, who is hoping to change that in London.

"If I can be enrolled, I would definitely fight with my whole strength to step on the podium."

China will be hoping to improve on their outstanding performance in the Water Cube at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, where they claimed 52 medals, 13 of which were gold, to finish second in the swimming medal table, behind the United States.

The London 2012 Paralympic swimming event will take place from August 30 to September 8, at the Aquatics Centre on the Olympic Park in Stratford, with 600 athletes set to compete in 148 medal events.

As well as China's top swimmers, the main medal contenders are set to be South African 10-time Paralympic champion Natalie du Toit, Britain's Beijing double gold medallist Ellie Simmonds (pictured) and the United States' sensation Mallory Weggemann, who won eight gold medals and broke nine world records at the IPC World Championships in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, last year.

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