Young Prodigy Yu Zidi Shines at World Swimming Championships

At the World Swimming Championships 2025 in Singapore, Yu Zidi, a 12-year-old Chinese swimmer, finished fourth in the women's 200m butterfly final. Her performance surprised many, prompting comparisons and reflections from other swimmers.

Yu's achievements at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore were remarkable. She qualified for two individual finals, the 200m individual medley and the 200m butterfly, within 24 hours. She also became the youngest medalist at the World Championships in 89 years, earning a bronze medal as part of the Chinese women's 4×200 meters freestyle relay team.

Her relay bronze was historically significant, as no athlete of her age had reached as many finals or swum as fast since 1936. Yu expressed her excitement about competing in the relay and her motivation to continue working hard. She also placed fourth in both the 200m individual medley and the 200m butterfly, narrowly missing podium finishes.

In the 200m individual medley, Yu achieved a personal best, missing bronze by a mere 0.06 seconds. In the 200m butterfly, she was only 0.31 seconds away from third place. While her achievements were not eligible for world junior records due to age regulations, she displayed remarkable composure. She attributed her calmness to adapting to the intense atmosphere of the championships.

Yu also competed in the women's 400-meter individual medley, finishing with a time of 4:33.76, just 0.5 seconds behind the bronze medalist. She expressed her preference for the 200m individual medley, 400m individual medley, and 200m butterfly, while acknowledging the need to improve her breaststroke.

Born in October 2012, Yu's passion for swimming began at age 6. Within four years, she had already excelled in her age group, earning a place at the Hebei Taihua Jinye Swimming Club. She was inspired to continue swimming after watching Ye Shiwen, who won two Olympic gold medals in 2012.

Yu's success has garnered significant attention. She is already looking forward to the World Championships in Budapest. Experts emphasize the importance of nurturing young talent carefully to avoid burnout. Her presence at the world championships highlights China's depth in swimming talent. The Chinese delegation achieved a total of 15 gold, 12 silver, and 10 bronze medals, topping the medal table at the World Aquatics Championships.