Simmonds shocked the world's best swimmers in the Chinese capital when, at just 13-years-old, she picked up two gold medals and became the youngest ever Briton to win an individual title at a Paralympic Games.

Simmonds went on to claim six gold medals and a silver at the 2009 World Championships in Reykjavik, before topping the podium a further four times at the equivalent event in Eindhoven in 2010.

But the superstar, who recently turned 16, has promised she will continue working hard to hold off her rivals at the London 2012 Paralympics.

"They say it is harder to stay at the top than it is to get to the top and I'm well aware people will be chasing me - I need to stay at my best," said Simmonds.

"I need to keep working hard as, for instance, there are two Chinese swimmers who are both 13 that will be a threat at London 2012.

"They are unknown, like I was in Beijing, and won't be the favourites, but I know I'll have to keep an eye on them."

Simmonds said she is helped by the strength of the British disability swimming team as the squad members are able to push each other to better results.

"It is great to have such strength domestically as well, with a lot of the GB swimmers being world record holders," she said.

"It means if you are beating them you will be competitive on the world stage, which is a fantastic thing to know when you are progressing through the ranks.

"But you never know who is going to be around the corner so you have to watch out and be ready for a youngster coming through or someone who has been out injured."


Simmonds added she cannot wait to experience a partisan home crowd in 2012 having witnessed first-hand the immense support the Chinese athletes received in Beijing.

"The Chinese athletes had such a great roar behind them by the home supporters and I'm looking forward to hopefully having a similar roar," she said.

"I had a really good 2010.

"I had the World Championships and I got four gold medals and two world records, so it was a great year and really the highlight of my career so far.

"We are going to have a lot of pressure on us in the next couple of years.

"Not just me but the whole Great Britain team, as it is a home Games.

"I have the European Championships this year and the trials are in March.

"Hopefully I can get there and defend my European titles and swim as well as I can.

"After that all our focus is London 2012 so the aim will be to keep focused and train to do my best."

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