Young Swimmer Makes Waves at World Aquatics Championship

Yu Zidi, a 12-year-old swimmer from China, made her mark at the World Aquatics Championship in Singapore, where she competed in the 200-meter individual medley event. It was her first appearance at such a significant competition.

In addition to the 200-meter medley, Yu is set to participate in the 400-meter medley and 200-meter butterfly events. During her 200-meter IM heat, she clocked in at 2 minutes and 11.90 seconds, allowing her to progress to the semi-finals. Interestingly, her time ranked as the 15th fastest among the 16 qualifiers.

Born in October 2012, Yu started swimming at a young age. In a conversation with China’s Xinhua News Agency, she recounted how her father took her to a water park during a sweltering summer, sparking her interest in swimming. “I loved the cool water and spent a lot of time in the little pools designed for kids,” she said. It was during that time a coach approached her about developing her skills further.

Yu expressed her enthusiasm for the future, noting, “Being this young is an advantage for me. I really want to grow and compete at the highest levels.” While the minimum age for World Aquatics is typically 14, younger athletes can compete if they meet specific criteria. Yu had been close to qualifying for the Chinese Olympic team for the 2024 Paris Games, but fell short by just a few seconds.

If she secures a medal in any of her events, Yu would make history as the youngest swimmer to win a medal since Denmark’s Inge Sorensen, who achieved this feat right after turning 12 during the 1936 Berlin Olympics.