At the ASEAN Para Games held in Solo, Indonesia, earlier this month 33 athletes returned home with nine gold medals, 10 silvers and nine bronzes.

It was an ideal opportunity for Singapore to prepare for London next year, where they are due to compete in five sports.

"We now have as many as two times more athletes going to the London Paralympics and we hope to equal what we did in Beijing if not better it," said Tan Ju Seng, chairman of the Singapore National Paralympic Council.

The swimmer Yip Pin Xiu (pictured) will be one of their best medal hopes in London as she looks to defend the gold medal won in the 50 metres backstroke S3 in Beijing.

"From now till London, my main priority is swimming and I hope to put up a fight," Xiu, who also won silver in the 50m freestyle S3, told Today Online.

"This time it will be tougher because of the stiffer competition but I'm going to try to improve on my time.

"I want to be even better than my standard at the 2008 Games."

Singapore's other two medals in Beijing 2008 were won by the equestrian competitor Laurentia Tan, who picked up bronze in the individual championship test grade 1A and the individual freestyle test grade 1A.

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