China’s Yu Zidi, 12, Shines at National Swimming Championships

Shenzhen, China — Yu Zidi, a 12-year-old swimmer from China, is making waves at the 2025 National Swimming Championships. Competing in the women’s 200-meter freestyle semifinal, Yu has positioned herself as one of the fastest swimmers in the world.

Yu’s impressive times have put her in contention for medals at the upcoming World Aquatics Championships in Singapore. Although the official age limit for participation is 14 years, Yu’s remarkable performances have earned her a spot regardless of the restrictions.

This young prodigy will compete in various events including the 200m and 400m individual medleys and the 200m butterfly. There is also potential for her to join China’s relay teams for the first time, racing against some of the best in the world.

In May, at the national championships, Yu swam the 200m individual medley in a stunning 2:10.63, securing a silver medal and setting a national record for a swimmer her age. She followed this achievement with an impressive 2:06.83 in the 200m butterfly, a time that would have placed her fourth in the last Olympic Games.

Yu, who began her swimming journey at the age of six, shared her story of how she got into the sport. “The summer was too hot, and my dad took me to the water park. I enjoyed the coolness of the water,” she told Xinhua News Agency. A coach later approached her, suggesting she could swim faster.

Encouraged by her extraordinary results, Yu sees her age as an advantage. “Since I am not competitive in the sprint events, I have to choose the 400-meter individual medley and the 200-meter butterfly as my favorites,” she stated. With the LA Olympics on the horizon in 2028, Yu will be aiming for medal contention at just 15 years old.