ATHENS, Sept. 15 (Xinhuanet) -- China's 52-strong swimming team bears hope to grab up to 15 gold medals at the 12th Paralympic Games slated for Sept. 17 to 28 in Athens.

    The team is the second largest group in the 200-athlete Chinesecontingent, only inferior to the athletics, and it's the largest and youngest swimming squad since China made its debut at the New York Paralympics in 1984. With the team averaged at 20 years old,36 of the swimmers had in previous games.

    Fan Lijing, the team manager, told Xinhua that the team, the most powerful group of the Chinese delegation, hoped to do better than four years ago in Sydney, aiming at 15 golds. If they succeed, it would count more than one third of the gold medal tally of the Chinese delegation.

    China fielded 27 swimmers four years ago, grabbing 13 gold medals, breaking five world records and two games records. Blind female swimmer Zhu Hongyan won five golds to be honored as the most successful swimmer of the team. This time she is still amongthe most promising swimmers of the Chinese side. Four other gold medalists in Sydney are also in the squad.

    15-year old Wang Xiaofu, bagging five gold medals with three world records at the IPC swimming world championships in Argentina2002, will take part in all six disciplines at his class and two team relays.

    "Wang is a talented swimmer, with huge hands and feet," said Fan. "If a new star emerges from the team, it would most likely Wang," he added.

    Lu Weiyuan, 14, is another promising youngster in the group. She will compete in 50m freestyle, 100m butterfly, 400 freestyle and 200m individual medley.

    The Paralympic swimming competitions featuring 167 disciplines,will be staged September 19-27. Enditem