Young Swimming Sensation Yu Zidi Sets Sights on World Championships

At just 12 years old, Yu Zidi from China is set to participate in the world swimming championships in Singapore later this month. While her youth is notable, it is her exceptional performance that truly stands out, with her times in three different events ranking among the best globally this year. Impressively, these times could have contended for medals during the last year’s Olympics in Paris.

Yu is already making her mark by consistently achieving personal bests in her competitions, which not only enhance her confidence but also position her for potential records and accolades. She has qualified for the 200- and 400-meter individual medleys, as well as the 200-meter butterfly, and is viewed as a strong contender for medals in each of these events. At the Chinese championships earlier this year, she swam the 200 IM in 2 minutes, 10.63 seconds, a record for 12-year-olds, and her performance in the 200 butterfly would have secured her a fourth-place finish at the last Olympics.

In addition to her stunning results, Yu's 400 IM time of 4:35.53 places her among the top of the year and would have brought her close to a medal in previous Olympic events as well. Notably, she is significantly faster than the world record holder, Summer McIntosh, was at the same age, marking her as a swimmer with unique potential. Yu’s excellence is not just about being another young swimmer; it's about achieving impressive times that hint at even greater future possibilities.

Yu began her swimming journey at the age of 6, when her father introduced her to a water amusement park to help her cope with the summer heat. This enjoyable experience blossomed into a passion for swimming, as a coach encouraged her to pursue the sport more seriously. She has since narrowed her focus to events where she can excel.

Currently training with the Hebei Taihua Jinye Swimming Club, Yu represents a new generation of competitive swimmers. While she aims for Olympic success in Los Angeles at the age of 15, she would still not be the youngest Olympic gold medalist — a title held by Kyoko Iwasaki, who accomplished this in 1992. Yu expresses her eagerness to engage in international competition, with aspirations to compete alongside and against the world's best swimmers, paralleling the journeys of other extraordinary champions like Katie Ledecky.