BEIJING (AFP) — South Africa's Natalie du Toit says she wants to inspire others to realise their dreams after fulfilling her ambition to compete at the Olympic Games despite having her leg amputated seven years ago.

The 24-year-old finished 16th in the women's 10 kilometres marathon swim here on Wednesday, prompting gold medal winner Larisa Ilchenko, from Russia, to insist du Toit deserved a medal just for competing.

Having lost her lower left leg in a motor accident on the way to training in her home city of Cape Town, the South African, who won six medals in the Athens pool at the 2004 Paralympics, said it had been emotional to be an Olympian.

"I think for me to come to an Olympic Games is a dream come true, my message isn't just to disabled people, but to everyone out there - you have to work hard to make your dreams reality.

"You have to keep your dreams and never give them up."