The 22-year-old was paralysed from the waist down in January 2008 after she went for a series of three epidurals to help treat severe back pain before major complications with the procedure left her in a wheelchair and permanently disabled.

Weggemann, a strong swimmer before the accident, decided to continue with the sport and she has since become one of the most dominant forces in the world of disability swimming.

Weggemann announced herself with a stunning debut at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) World Short Course Championships in Brazil in November 2009 by breaking six world records and winning five gold medals.

But it was at the IPC 2010 World Championships in Eindhoven that she really came to prominence as she proved by far the most successful athlete at the event by winning eight golds and a silver while setting nine world records.

The American hopes to continue her stunning form into London 2012 by winning nine gold medals in the Aquatics Centre on the Olympic Park in Stratford later this year.

"I have high goals for London," she told BBC Sport.

"I can compete in seven individual races and, if I am selected, two relays.

"My aim is to win gold in each event and improve on my world records in each event, which would mean nine gold medals.

"I'm excited to see how all my hard work pays off in London and to be part of Team USA at the Games.

"I think the atmosphere will be different and something I've never experienced before.

"I know it will be one of the most memorable events in my life."


Weggemann, who admits she was inspired to take disability swimming very seriously after being inspired by watching the Beijing 2008 Paralympics online, said that despite the unfortunate accident that resulted in her becoming disabled, she has no regrets about what happened to her.

"I was asked on American television in August 2009, 'If you could change the events of January 2008, would you?', she said.

"I found myself saying no.

"Although I would do everything possible to walk again someday, if the technological advances were there, I would never go back and change that day.

"The journey that life has taken me on since then and the things I have learned about myself and the opportunities I have been given have changed me as a person in so many ways that I wouldn't be me if that day never happened.

"I've done more in the last four years than I think I ever would have done walking.

"It is still kind of surreal to me that this is my life and this is the path it is going on."

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