(ECNS) -- At just 12 years old, Chinese swimming prodigy Yu Zidi has emerged as one of the most talked-about swimmers at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships.
On Thursday evening, Yu competed as the only Chinese athlete in the women's 200-meter butterfly final, and finished fourth with a personal best of 2:06.43, just 0.31 seconds behind the bronze medalist.
Even before the championships began, Yu had drawn international attention. A leading U.S. swimming outlet noted that while many young swimmers have achieved early breakthroughs, Yu stands out for her ability to compete alongside the world's top athletes at such a young age.
In May, Yu clocked 2:10.63 in the women's 200-meter individual medley at the Chinese National Championships, becoming the fastest 12-year-old in history in that event.
Her times in the 200-meter butterfly and 400-meter individual medley are equally impressive, both fast enough to have placed fourth at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The International Olympic Committee highlighted her on its website, predicting she could become the next Summer McIntosh, the Canadian prodigy who won three golds and a silver at the Paris Olympics.
Yu's idol is Li Bingjie, a freestyle swimmer from the same Hebei province who won medals at the World Championships at age 15 and broke the Asian record. According to her coach, Yu keeps one of Li's quotes taped inside her locker: "The hardest moment is when you're closest to your goal."
When asked by a reporter if she considered herself a prodigy, Yu said that she just worked hard and that it all came from training and effort.
(By Gong Weiwei)
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