Du Toit, the nine-time Paralympic gold medalist who competed in the open water event at the Beijing 2008 Olympics, claimed a comfortable victory in an impressive time of 2min 32.11sec.

Britain’s Louise Watkin finished in second with a personal best of 2:37.71 but was still 5.60 seconds behind du Toit.

The 26-year-old South African, who will retire following London 2012, added that she is hoping to compete in the Olympics as well as seven events at the Paralympics.

Du Toit said: "I’m going out in 2012 so I want to compete in the Olympics and also swim and medal in all the events I can in the Paralympics.

"I know that in the backstroke and breaststroke events I won’t win the gold but to go out in all seven races I can is a challenge for me, but hopefully I can do it."

Watkin’s silver capped another impressive day for Britain in the Pieter van den Hoogenband Swimming Stadium.

British duo Charlotte Henshaw and Liz Johnson claimed silver and bronze respectively in the women’s the women’s SB6 100m breaststroke but were outshone by American Mallory Weggemann who claimed the gold in a world record time of 1:35.51.

Henshaw, who actually lowered the world record in the heats yesterday, claimed a personal best of 1:39.74 though it was still not enough to stop the 21-year-old American, who picked up her second gold medal after victory in the 400m freestyle race.

Johnson (pictured) claimed her bronze in 1:39.88 to finish just behind Henshaw in what was without a doubt the race of the day.

Henshaw said: "It all went by in a bit of a blur.

"It was such an amazing race and having spoken to people just now it sounded like Liz and I were really close.

"It was just a brilliant race and I really enjoyed it but I am really tired now.

"I knew, after she got a 12 second PB in the heat, that Mallory would be quick in the final and I seemed to have missed the top gear tonight and I hope to get that back."

Johnson added: "I do feel in really good shape at the moment and I am happy to have won a medal.

"Weggemann was good at last year's World Short Course championships in Rio so we knew she would be good."

Weggemann, who was a talented able-bodied swimmer, was left paralysed after complications following an epidural to treat back pain in January 2008.

Since joining the United States Paralympic squad, she has become one of their star names and will be a major force at the London 2012 Paralympic where like du Toit, she is aiming to compete in seven events.

Meanwhile, Britain’s Claire Cashmore won silver in the SB8 100m breaststroke race behind Paralympic champion Olesya Vladykina from Russia while the British men’s 4x100m freestyle relay team featuring Matthew Walker, Graham Edwards, Dave Roberts and Robert Welbourn took bronze behind Australia and Brazil in their race.

The winning Brazil gold medal team featured Daniel Diaz, the Paralympic swimming hero who won seven medals at the Beijing 2008 Paralympics, including three golds.

Ireland also put in a strong performance on day two of the IPC World Championships as Jonathan Cummings finished in fifth in the men’s SB5 100m breaststroke final and Ellen Kean claimed a sixth place in the women’s SB8 100m breaststroke final and seventh in the SM9 individual medal final in the race won by du Toit.

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