Jiang Fuying of China watches the time screen after winning the gold in the women's 50m butterfly S6 category event yesterday. She broke the world record with 38.44 sec. [Xinhua]

After six years of hard work, Chinese swimmer Jiang Fuying finally made the podium, this time with a shiny gold medal hanging around her neck.

Four years ago in Athens, her Paralympic debut ended with disappointing 4th and 5th place finishes. And earlier this week in Beijing, Jiang won a bronze and placed 4th in the 100m backstroke and 200m individual medley.

But yesterday, in the women's 50m butterfly S6 category, the 20-year-old caught up Russian swimmer Anastasia Diodorova midway and surged ahead, snatching her first Paralympic gold with a record-breaking performance of 38.44 sec.

"I am extremely happy that I made it to gold in my main event, " said Jiang. "My performance tonight was fine, but still slower than the training time.

"Though I won the gold, I still think I should have performed better," she added.

Jiang said she plans on presenting the gold to her coach Ai Yong as a gift for today's Mid-Autumn Festival (a traditional Chinese festival featuring family reunions). Jiang said it was Ai who introduced her to swimming six years ago and treated her like a daughter.

Born without arms, Jiang was abandoned by her parents soon after her birth and was brought up at a social welfare institute in central China's Hubei province.

In 2002, Ai selected Jiang to train with a swimming team for people with disabilities in Hubei.

At that time, she didn't even know how to swim.

"It was really tough on the first day, as the only thing I could do at the beginning was stand in the pool and walk along the wall," she said. "It was too difficult for me to stay balanced in the water as I have no arms."

But when Jiang was told she would have the chance to compete at the Beijing Paralympics if she performed well, she was determined to overcome all obstacles so she could realize her dream.

After two months of intensive training, her talent shone through at her first national competition, where she won gold in the women's 50m backstroke.

A hard life from an early age has taught Jiang she can do anything she puts her mind to, making her optimistic about a future beyond sport.

"I love music," she said. "I hope one day I can find a job at a radio station and become a DJ."