Swimmers prepare to start off in the men's 400m S8 freestyle preliminaries during the Eighth National Para Games of China in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, Oct 16, 2011. [Photo/Xinhua]

HANGZHOU - Chinese swimmers surpassed 17 world records in the six-day swimming event of the Eighth National Para Games of China after Monday's ending competition.

As an important national contest before the London Paralympics, the National Games was widely seen as a golden chance for those who had achieved Paralympics qualification to show their capability and win a berth in the Chinese Paralympic delegation.

Cai Yuqing, the first gold medalist of Guangzhou 2010 Para-Games, collected two golds, one silver and one bronze for the host Zhejiang Province. Cai claimed that she hope her performance would attract some attention.

To the Guangzhou Para Games four golds winner Lin Furong, a Paralympic gold will smooth his regret in Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games where he captured two silver medals.

"Can you believe it? I never swim in the pool before I started in 2005. Then two years later, I won my first medal when I first swum in the National Games," said Lin.

"If I can get to London Paralympics, I hope I can do better than the runner-up."

Except for those who already gained their fame in Paralympics, even more starlets were also looking forward to make a debut.

"I have not get the chance to race in Paralympics yet. However, if I can be enrolled, I would definitely fight with my whole strength to step on the podium," claimed Zheng Ygonqi, who broke five national records to pocket three golds and one silver this time.

According to the chief referee Wang Yan, the swimming events not only surpassed 17 world records but also created 113 national records in all 181 disciplines.