The 19-year-old won what was a relatively easy victory as he finished in 4min 38.71sec ahead of silver medallist and home favourite Wang Jiachao of China and Kwon Hyun of Korea.

However, Yamada admitted he had hoped to go even quicker.

"I wanted to break my personal best in the competition but failed," said the Asian record holder of the event.

"It was not a very good result for me.

"My ultimate goal is the 2012 London Paralympic Games.

"I want to win a gold medal there."

Second-placed Wang, who usually participated in S8 events - for athletes with greater disability than S9 - added: "Yamada is a good swimmer and we have been good friends since 2003.

"But to be honest, we did not often compete together because we are from two different classes.

"As there were not enough athletes registering in S8 men's 400m freestyle, the organisers had to combine the two classes."

The classification of both S8 and S9 in swimming event is for wheelchair athletes and amputees while a total of 12 swimmers competed in the joint event at the Asian Games.

It is the first time the Asian Para Games, which emerged from the dissolution of the FESPIC Games - the parallel sport event for disabled Pacific and East Asian athletes - has run parallel to the Asian Games which took place last month.

The quadrennial continental sports gala for the disabled opened its first edition with an emotional Opening Ceremony last night and will conclude next Sunday (December 19).

President of the Asian Paralympic Committee (APC) Dato' Zainal Abu Zarin has already described China's support of the Paralympic Movement as "unwavering".

"This continent has a long and proud history in staging major Paralympic events dating back to the first FESPIC Games in 1975," he said.

"In between then and now the FESPIC Games have been held successfully on a number of occasions, leaving a lasting legacy in Asia.

"The Guangzhou 2010 Asian Para Games is such a legacy.

"The unwavering commitment of China and its people to the Paralympic Movement is admirable."

A capacity crowd was inside the Aoti Main Stadium for the Asian Para Games Opening Ceremony while over a billion television viewers watched from various locations around the world.

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