Chinese swimmer reaches world championship final aged 12
China's swimmer Yu Zidi competes in the semi-finals of the women's 200m individual medley swimming event during the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore on July 27, 2025.
SINGAPORE – Chinese swimming prodigy Yu Zidi surprised even herself after reaching the final of the 200m individual medley at the World Aquatics Championships (WCH) in Singapore on July 27.
The schoolgirl squeezed into the final at the WCH Arena in seventh place in 2min 10.22sec 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 the final on July 28.
'I hope to find a breakthrough at these world championships and show my potential.'
Asked how it felt to be on the world stage, following 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.
Yu, who turns 13 in October, previously told Chinese state media: 'I often went to cool off at swimming pools... (and) a coach discovered me.'
Olympic champion and world record holder Summer McIntosh qualified fastest for the 200m medley final in 2:07.39. REUTERS
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
River Plate draw 0-0 with San Lorenzo in Argentina
Find out what's new on ST website and app. BUENOS AIRES - River Plate were held 0-0 at home by San Lorenzo in the Argentine Clausura tournament on Sunday as Marcelo Gallardo's side remained unbeaten in the campaign and two points clear of their city rivals at the top of Group B. The hosts controlled proceedings from the outset and thought they had taken the lead after 15 minutes but Enzo Perez's long-range effort was ruled out for offside. River continued to dominate after the break but were frustrated by San Lorenzo's well-organised defence, with Giuliano Galoppo coming closest to a winner when his header was saved by goalkeeper Orlando Gill. River next face San Martin de Tucuman in the Argentine Cup on Saturday. REUTERS
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
'Lucky' De Minaur saves three match points to lift Washington Open title
Alex De Minaur rallied from a set down and saved three match points to claim the Washington Open title with a 5-7 6-1 7-6(3) win over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the final of the ATP 500 event on Sunday. The Australian number one, who lost the 2018 final to Alexander Zverev, felt he rode his luck to secure his 10th career title and ensure he will enter the top 10 in the world rankings ahead of next month's U.S. Open. The two 26-year-olds exchanged breaks early in the opening set before Spain's Davidovich Fokina seized control by breaking again and closed out the set with the help of some crisp forehand winners. De Minaur responded emphatically in the second set, converting two of four break-point opportunities while holding serve throughout, wrapping up the set in just over 30 minutes with an ace to level the contest. The Spaniard looked on course for his first career title when he broke to grab the lead in the decider but he failed to serve out the match at 5-3, sending a forehand long to hand the break back to seventh seed De Minaur. Davidovich Fokina's frustration mounted as the 12th seed squandered three match points on De Minaur's serve, and the Australian then capitalised on a series of unforced errors in the tiebreak to edge the contest. "I came here in 2018 and it gave me so much confidence, so I'm so happy that I was able to come back and end up winning the title," De Minaur said at the trophy presentation. "Alejandro, you're way too good not to have one of these, it's coming for sure," he added, gesturing to the trophy. "You deserved it today, I just got lucky. You are a hell of a competitor, hell of a player. No one on the tour wants to play you. And this is not the end, this is only going on for you." Davidovich Fokina recalled that he had required a wild card to play in the U.S. capital last year and was pleased to have at least guaranteed a rise to a career high world number 19 when the rankings are updated on Monday. "He deserved the win, he was fighting every ... ball, he was always pushing through my limits," Davidovich Fokina said. "We had a job to do before we started the year, to be at the middle of the year in the top 20. This week we did it, just not with the trophy. But for sure, we will keep going, pushing our limits, pushing harder." REUTERS
CNA
an hour ago
- CNA
Singapore's youngest athlete makes debut against world's elite at just 14
It's been a weekend to remember for Team Singapore's youngest athlete at the World Aquatics Championships. Diver Ainslee Kwang, 14, may not have reached the podium — but she still counts it as a proud moment to represent her country. An opportunity to learn from the world's best and build rapport with her team mates, she's also laying the foundations for her upcoming challenge - the SEA Games in December.
