'Emotional' Yu, 12, celebrates historic world swimming medal
Yu swam in the heats of the women's 4x200-metre freestyle relay but missed Thursday's final as China claimed bronze behind Australia and the United States in Singapore.
Yu, who was competing in the women's 200m butterfly final on Thursday -- finishing fourth -- received a medal as a member of the Chinese relay team.
"It feels quite emotional, it's a nice feeling," she said.
Yu has turned heads with her performances in Singapore.
She qualified for Monday's 200m individual medley final and finished fourth, missing out on a medal by just 0.06 second in what is not considered her strongest event.
She followed that up with another fourth in the 200m butterfly final and will also compete in the 400m individual medley.
Yu, who turns 13 in October, discovered swimming at age six as a way to cool off during China's roasting summers.
She has drawn historical comparisons to Denmark's Inge Sorensen, who at 12 was the youngest-ever winner of an Olympic swimming medal with bronze at the Berlin Games of 1936.
But not everyone thinks Yu should be competing in Singapore.
Some in the sport have raised questions about the mental and physical impacts of high-level training and competing at an age when she is still developing as a person.
Under current World Aquatics rules, the minimum age is 14 but younger swimmers can compete at the championships if -- like Yu -- they are fast enough.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Bangkok Post
4 hours ago
- Bangkok Post
Govt clarifies stance on poker policy
Poker will only be played as a sport with oversight from an authorised association, which is in the process of being set up, according to the Tourism and Sports Ministry. Minister Sorawong Thienthong clarified that the recent move to allow poker under conditions is part of a formal process to recognise it as a sport, not the legalisation of gambling in general. Interior Minister and Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai signed a ministerial order easing poker restrictions, Mr Sorawong said. He explained that the proposal had originated from the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT). The sport classification has already been approved at the board level, but official documentation and procedures, including a demonstration event, may take up to a month. The new order revokes a longstanding 1958 Interior Ministry directive that completely banned poker but still retains it under Category B of the Gambling Act -- activities that require special permission. "It's not full deregulation," Mr Sorawong said. "Poker can only be played during specific events, and only after a formal Poker Sports Association is established." He insisted that all tournaments must go through the sanctioned association and follow legal steps. "There's no urgency, and we're following proper procedures," he stated. On whether public opinion needs to be solicited, the tourism minister noted that since poker is now recognised as a sport in Thailand and globally, the process is being handled through official sports governance. "We are not trying to legalise gambling. Globally, poker is already adopted as a sport. I expect it will eventually be recognised in events like the Asian Games," he said. Mr Sorawong admitted poker carries risks due to its association with gambling, but stressed that events must strictly exclude betting. "It's similar to how e-sports gained Olympic recognition. If any form of betting is involved, it's illegal. People cannot casually play poker unless permission has been granted." Asked whether unauthorised poker events would be considered gambling, Mr Sorawong replied, "Yes -- if it involves betting or lacks official approval, it's illegal." He also firmly dismissed suggestions that the move is linked to the government's controversial entertainment complex initiative. "It's completely unrelated," he said. "This is an exceptional case. The Interior Minister remains concerned about gambling -- illegal gambling remains a criminal offence." Separately, Chanin Rungthanakiat, secretary to the interior minister, elaborated on the July 30 directive (Order No.2253/2568) signed by Mr Phumtham. The order rescinds Interior Order No.490/2501, which had banned poker due to concerns about excessive gambling losses. The rationale for the update is to reflect the evolving nature of poker as a recognised competitive sport rather than just a gambling activity.
Bangkok Post
18 hours ago
- Bangkok Post
Chinese football club given 2-year ban after no-show
MELBOURNE — Chinese club Shandong Taishan has been banned from Asian club competition for two years for its no-show against South Korean side Ulsan HD in the Asian Champions League (ACL) Elite in February. The Chinese Super League side pulled out hours before the Feb 19 match, blaming "serious physical discomfort" of players and saying they were unable to form a team. The Asian Football Confederation's (AFC) Disciplinary and Ethics Commission said Shandong would not be able to play in the AFC's club competitions up to and including the 2026/27 season editions and fined the club US$50,000. It also ordered Shandong to return a participation fee of $600,000 and a performance bonus of $200,000 to the AFC along with compensation of $40,000 to Ulsan "in respect of damages and losses claimed" by the South Korean club. Shandong's pull-out came days after the club said it had banned supporters for "inappropriate behaviour" during a home ACL match against South Korean team Gwangju after fans in the crowd displayed images of South Korea's last military dictator Chun Doo-hwan. Hundreds of people are estimated to have died or gone missing when the South Korean government violently put down the Gwangju uprising by pro-democracy protesters in May 1980, when Chun was the de facto leader of the country after leading a military coup.
Bangkok Post
5 days ago
- Bangkok Post
'Emotional' Yu, 12, celebrates historic world swimming medal
SINGAPORE - China's Yu Zidi said she felt "quite emotional" after the 12-year-old became the youngest swimmer in history to win a world championships medal. Yu swam in the heats of the women's 4x200-metre freestyle relay but missed Thursday's final as China claimed bronze behind Australia and the United States in Singapore. Yu, who was competing in the women's 200m butterfly final on Thursday -- finishing fourth -- received a medal as a member of the Chinese relay team. "It feels quite emotional, it's a nice feeling," she said. Yu has turned heads with her performances in Singapore. She qualified for Monday's 200m individual medley final and finished fourth, missing out on a medal by just 0.06 second in what is not considered her strongest event. She followed that up with another fourth in the 200m butterfly final and will also compete in the 400m individual medley. Yu, who turns 13 in October, discovered swimming at age six as a way to cool off during China's roasting summers. She has drawn historical comparisons to Denmark's Inge Sorensen, who at 12 was the youngest-ever winner of an Olympic swimming medal with bronze at the Berlin Games of 1936. But not everyone thinks Yu should be competing in Singapore. Some in the sport have raised questions about the mental and physical impacts of high-level training and competing at an age when she is still developing as a person. Under current World Aquatics rules, the minimum age is 14 but younger swimmers can compete at the championships if -- like Yu -- they are fast enough.
