12-Year-Old Yu Zidi Set to Make Waves at World Swimming Championships

A Young Prodigy in Swimming

At just 12 years old, Yu Zidi from China is gearing up to compete in the upcoming world swimming championships in Singapore.

This remarkable feat is only part of her story.

Not only is she incredibly young, but her performance in three events this year ranks among the best globally. Impressively, her times would have placed her near the podium at last year's Paris Olympics.

To put it in perspective, Yu is still in sixth or seventh grade and hasn't even reached her teenage years. “It’s an inspiring narrative. I’m curious to see where it leads,” commented Greg Meehan, the national team director for the American squad heading to Singapore.

Eyes on the Prize

Like many promising young athletes, Yu is consistently achieving personal bests with each competition. These milestones not only boost her confidence but also position her for potential records, medals, and fame.

She has qualified for the 200 and 400-meter individual medleys, as well as the 200 butterfly, with a strong chance of medaling in all three events. Her time of 2 minutes and 10.63 seconds in the 200 IM at the Chinese championships in May is the fastest ever recorded by a 12-year-old swimmer, male or female, according to World Aquatics.

This was just the beginning. Her 200 butterfly time of 2:06.83 from the same meet would have secured her fourth place at the Paris Olympics and ranks as the fifth-fastest globally this year, potentially earning her gold at the 2024 world championships.

Breaking Records at a Young Age

Yu's performance in the 400 IM was equally impressive, clocking in at 4:35.53, which is the fifth-fastest time of the year. This time would have placed her fourth at last year's Olympics, just 0.6 seconds behind bronze medalist Emma Weyant from the US.

The 400 IM is currently dominated by 18-year-old Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh, who holds the world record at 4:23.65 and the 200 IM record at 2:05.70. Comparatively, Yu is swimming approximately 15 seconds faster in the 400 IM and about 12 seconds faster in the 200 IM than McIntosh did at the same age.

While Yu is not the first young swimmer to shine, her extraordinary times and the promise of future success set her apart. However, the path to success is not guaranteed, and young athletes can face burnout.

A Journey That Began with Fun

Yu shared that her swimming journey began at the age of six in a water amusement park.

“The summer heat was intense, so my dad took me to the water park. I loved the cool water and spent a lot of time in the kids' pools. One day, a coach approached me and asked if I wanted to swim faster,” she recounted.

Since then, she has gravitated towards the 400-meter individual medley and the 200-meter butterfly, stating, “I’m not competitive in sprint events, so I prefer these distances. My age is currently an advantage, and I hope to build more strength as I grow.”

Yu trains at the Hebei Taihua Jinye Swimming Club located in Hengshui City, south of Beijing.

Aiming for the Los Angeles Olympics

Should Yu secure Olympic gold in three years at the Los Angeles Games, she would be 15 years old. However, this wouldn’t make her the youngest swimmer to achieve such a feat.

Kyoko Iwasaki from Japan was just 14 years and 6 days old when she won gold in the 200 breaststroke at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

It’s common for swimmers, especially females, to peak early in their careers.

According to SwimSwam, seven female swimmers have won Olympic gold before turning 15, with three achieving this in individual events and four in relays.

American swimming sensation Katie Ledecky was 15 years and 139 days old when she clinched gold in the 800 freestyle at the 2012 London Olympics, marking the beginning of her nine gold medals across four Olympic Games.

Interestingly, Ledecky’s first gold came just months before Yu was born on October 6, 2012.

“I have no idea what it’s like to compete internationally. I’m eager to experience world-class competition,” Yu expressed.

The world is indeed watching her journey unfold.