12-Year-Old Chinese Swim Prodigy Yu Zidi Makes Waves at World Championships

China’s 12-year-old swimming prodigy, Yu Zidi, made an impressive world debut at the Swimming World Championships in Singapore.

She qualified for the semifinals of the 200-meter individual medley with a time of 2:11.90. This performance highlights her as a rising star in the swimming world at a very young age.

While slightly off her season best (2:10.63), Yu still ranked 15th among 16 semifinal qualifiers. Notably, the 200 IM is considered her weakest event.

Yu is set to compete in two more events — the 400 IM and 200 butterfly — where her times from the Chinese championships rank among the world’s best this season. Her personal bests in both events would have placed fourth at the last Olympics.

Despite being under World Aquatics’ age limit of 14, Yu earned her spot by surpassing elite qualifying standards.

Clad in a black cap and gray suit, Yu remained silent after her race — but her swimming made plenty of noise.

Rise of a Prodigy

• At just 12 years old, Yu Zidi made headlines by qualifying for the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, overcoming the official minimum competition age of 14 due to her elite-level times.
• Her standout performances at China’s national championships—including a 2:10.63 in the 200 m individual medley, 2:06.83 in the 200 m butterfly, and 4:35.53 in the 400 m individual medley—ranked her among the top five in the world this season and would have placed her fourth in those events at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

World Championships Debut

• On the first day of competition in Singapore, Yu competed in the 200 m individual medley heats and clocked 2:11.90, advancing to the semi-finals as the 15th‑fastest qualifier of 16.
• Though slightly off her season best, she delivered a solid performance in her least-strong event, while preparing to take part in the 400 m individual medley and 200 m butterfly later in the meet.

What Makes Her Special

• Yu began swimming at age six and trains at the Hebei Taihua Jinye Swimming Club. Her meteoric rise draws comparisons to previous teenage sensations like Summer McIntosh, Katie Ledecky, and Kyoko Iwasaki.
• Notably, her season-best times outperform those of Summer McIntosh at the same age Wikipedia. She’s already considered by many as one of the most promising prospects in women’s swimming.

The Road Ahead

• At the World Aquatics Championships (running 27 July to 3 August 2025 at the OCBC Aquatic Centre in Singapore), Yu is set to compete in three events:

• 200 m individual medley
• 400 m individual medley
• 200 m butterfly

• Her times place her in elite international conversation already—especially in the 400 IM, where her 4:35.53 approaches finalist-level competition.
• Looking ahead to Los Angeles 2028, Yu has expressed ambition for Olympic gold—just as she turns 15, a perfect age to make her mark at the pinnacle of sport.

Summary

Source: South China Morning | The Guardian | AP News | The Washington Post