Can't run, can't jump, can swim. And can surprise.

Even Jacqueline Freney's family has been shocked by her haul of seven gold medals in the pool at the London Paralympics.

It is the greatest medal collection by an Australian at a single Games, elevating her above her childhood hero Siobhan Paton.

The swimmer from Skennars Head on the NSW north coast has always found the water a sanctuary.

She could swim before she could walk because of her cerebral palsy diplegia.

"On land, I am not really that fast," she said.

"So it is great to get in the water and not have any limitations on my body and try to be as fast as other people."

Freney's family run a number of swimming pools and it did not take her long to figure out that it was one area she could beat her peers.

Her grandfather Peter Freney, who coached Paton to six gold medals at the 2000 Sydney Games, said his 20-year-old granddaughter had surprised him.

That comes even though he works with her a couple of days a week alongside her coach and father, Michael.

"She never ceases to amaze us," he said.

And for someone that used to be struck down by nerves at swimming meets, she is starting to become comfortable in the limelight.

"Let's just say that I have another goal in mind for Rio," she said mischievously after obliterating the field in the S7 400m freestyle.

"I won't tell you what it is."

Freney's campaign has been aided a little by American Mallory Weggemann being moved out of her category on the day of the opening ceremony.

"I was really disappointed," Freney said.

"I was really looking forward to racing her."

She thought it could be time for the Freney family to purchase a new trophy cabinet.

"There is a cabinet but it is getting quite full at the moment and I don't really know what I am going to do with all these gold," she said.

Now might be the perfect time to put that request to her father.

"My dad is just over the moon, I have never seen him this happy before," she said.

He is not alone.

Freney's performances have provided a massive lift for the entire Australian Paralympic team.

The nation has won 25 gold medals for the Games, two more than in Beijing, with three days to go of competition.

The swim team has equalled the haul from the 2000 Sydney Games with many more gold medal opportunities still to come.