Yu, born in October 2012, began swimming at six.
Twelve-year-old Chinese swimmer Yu Zidi made her international debut on Sunday at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, competing in the 200-meter individual medley. She finished with a time of 2 minutes, 11.90 seconds, ranking 15th among the 16 semifinal qualifiers.
Yu, born in October 2012, began swimming at six. “The summer was too hot, and my dad took me to the water park,” she told China’s Xinhua News Agency. “I enjoyed the coolness of the water… One day, a coach approached me and asked if I wanted to swim faster.”
Despite nearly qualifying for China’s 2024 Olympic team, Yu missed the cut by a few seconds. She remains optimistic: “My age is currently an advantage. I hope to grow and develop more strength in the future. I really want to experience the world-class competition.”
Yu will also compete in the 400-meter individual medley and 200-meter butterfly. If she medals, she would be the youngest since Inge Sorensen in 1936.