Yu Zidi of China prepares to compete in the Women's 200m Individual Medley semifinal at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore. Photo / Getty Images
Yu Zidi of China prepares to compete in the Women's 200m Individual Medley semifinal at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore. Photo / Getty Images
The 12-year-old Chinese swimming prodigy Yu Zidi surprised even herself after reaching the final of the 200m medley at the world championships in Singapore on Sunday (local time).
The schoolgirl squeezed into the final in Singapore in seventh place in 2m 10.22s in what is not her best event.
Yu,who juggles swimming with her homework, is also competing in the 400m medley and the 200m butterfly against most of the best swimmers on the planet.
“I’m in? Oh, I’m happy about that and I will continue to work harder,” she said after realising she had made Monday’s final.
“I hope to find a breakthrough at these world championships and show my potential.”
Asked how it felt to be on the world stage, after some eye-catching performances at China’s national championships, she said: “It feels really good. How do I put it ... it’s much more than my expectations.
“You can feel it’s quite intense. I try not to think so much, and just give it my all.”
Yu discovered swimming as a small child in order to escape China’s fierce summer heat.
