BEIJING - BRITAIN leapfrogged China to return to the top of the Beijing Paralympics medals table on Wednesday, as Poland's Olympic table tennis star Natalia Partyka prepared for her gold medal match.

Britain, boosted by a remarkable 12 track cycling golds, had 19 wins in total by late Wednesday afternoon, two clear of China who had led after three days of action and are widely expected to finish on top.

'We're delighted with the British performances across the sports so far and to be where we are in the medals table at this stage is fantastic,' said British chef de mission Phil Lane.

He admitted it would be difficult to stay with China, which has a far bigger team competing in Beijing, although that had not dampened spirits as the British were well on their way to achieving their goal of 35 to 40 golds.

'We know China will dominate the medals table but we are aiming for a high finish too,' Lane said.

Ahead of the evening athletics and swimming finals, Britain had 19 golds and 36 medals in total, with China on 17 golds and 58 medals.

Britain's cycling success follows its domination on the track in the Olympics.

Meanwhile, Polish teenager Partyka was set to take on China's Fan Lei in the gold medal match in her class on Wednesday evening.

She is one of only two Paralympians who also competed at last month's Olympics, along with South African swimmer Natalie du Toit, who already has two golds out of the five she is aiming for.

South Africa's 'Blade Runner' Oscar Pistorius, who took the 100m gold in his class Tuesday, staged a high-profile quest to qualify for the Olympics but eventually fell short.

Partyka, born with a right arm that ends at the elbow, will defend the title she won in Athens four years ago.

The 19-year-old has proved she can mix it with the top able-bodied players, defeating Singapore's Li Jia Wei, ranked six in the world, at this year's world team championships in China.

A shadow was cast over the Games Tuesday when it was revealed that Pakistani powerlifter Naveed Ahmed Butt, 37, had been given a two-year ban for steroid use in the first drugs scandal of the Paralympics.

A total of 461 tests had been carried out at the Games, both in and out of competition, according to International Paralympic Committee figures until the end of Tuesday.

At the Athens Games in 2004, 680 doping tests were conducted, resulting in 10 anti-doping rule violations.

More than 4,000 competitors from nearly 15 countries and regions are battling for 472 gold medals in 20 sports at the eye-catching venues used for the Olympics such as the 'Bird's Nest' and the Water Cube.

The sports at the Paralympics, which end on September 17, include athletics, swimming, powerlifting, wheelchair fencing and five-a-side and seven-a-side football, as well as the lesser-known goalball and boccia. -- AFP