Day 6: Jacobsson takes 16th Paralympic gold, China over 100-medal mark

Li Duan of China competes during the men's triple jump F11  final at the National Stadium，also known as the Bird's Nest during the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, China, Sept. 12, 2008. Li won the title with 13.71 meters. (Xinhua/ Fei Maohua)

In Athens 2004, Jacobsson snatched four gold medals, breaking eight world and Paralympic records and eqauling four.

Du Toit, who has already won the 100m butterfly, 100m freestyle and 200m individual medley, smashed her own world record to win the 400m freestyle in 4 minutes 23.81 seconds.

"It was a good race. I gave everything," said du Toit, who is gunning for one more win - 50m freestyle - to equal her gold tally at the 2004 Paralympics in Athens.

The first female amputee to compete in the Olympics, du Toit finished 16th among 25 competitors in the 10-kilometer open-water swim last month at the Beijing Games.

She is one of only two Paralympians who also took part in the Beijing Olympics. The other was Polish table tennis player Natalia Partyka.

Cui Yanfeng (front) of China competes during the men's  800m-T54 semifinal at the National Stadium，also known as the Bird's Nest, during the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, China, Sept. 12, 2008. Cui was qualified for the  final with 1 min 34.93 secs.Xinhua/Tao Ming)

At the Bird's Nest stadium, visually impaired Li Duan opened the gold account for China as the 30-year-old managed a world record-breaking jump of 13.71 meters to retain his crown in the men's triple jump in F11. The previous world mark of 13.47m was set by Jose Rodriguez of Spain in 1998.

His compatriots Gao Mingjie and Huang Lisha followed suit, breaking world records in men's javelin throw F 42-44 and women's 100m T53 en route to taking golds.

Xie Qing, who has been blind since birth, added a fourth gold for China with a triumph in the women's 100m freestyle S11 event.

"I'm very excited. Winning the gold is truly a difficult task," said the 20-year-old Xie.

Meanwhile, Britain's cycling success switched from the track to the road as Rachel Morris, David Stone and Sarah Storey added three golds to the team's medal tally.

China's Yang Lei (L) defends South Africa's Nathaniel during a wheelchair basketball match at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games in the National Indoor Stadium in Beijing, China, Sept. 12, 2008. China lost the match 60-67.Xinhua/Meng Yongmin)

Spain equaled Britain's victories at the Laoshan Velodrome, where cyclists from the United States and Germany also claimed two golds apiece.

The 2012 hosts stormed to a golden double in the swimming pool with Sam Hynd in men's 400m freestyle S8 and Liz Johnson in women's 100m breastroke SB6.

More than 4,000 athletes from 147 countries and regions compete here in 20 sports in five different categories of disability, with a total of 472 gold medals at stake.

Editor:Xiong Qu