12-Year-Old Swimmer Yu Zidi Turns Heads At 2025 World Championships
At just 12 years old, China's Yu Zidi is already turning heads in the swimming community. She is one of the fastest swimmers in the world right now in her events. Yu proved this during her debut at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, where she narrowly missed earning a bronze medal, finishing just 0.06 seconds behind Canada's Mary-Sophie Harvey in the 200 IM. Her final time of 2:09.21 was a new personal best.
The event was won by Canada's Summer McIntosh in 2:06.69, with American Alex Walsh taking silver in 2:08.58. Harvey claimed the bronze in 2:09.15, just ahead of Yu.
Swimmers are usually required to be at least 14 years old to compete at the championships, but Yu qualified by meeting the federation's 'A' standard. Her time of 2:10.63, recorded at the 2025 Chinese National Championships in May, was well under the required mark of 2:12.83. For perspective, the U.S. National Age Group record for 11–12 girls in that event is 2:18.69.
Who Is Yu Zidi?
Yu Zidi of China competes during the women's 200m medley semifinal of swimming at the World Aquatics ... More Championships in Singapore, July 27, 2025. (Photo by Xia Yifang/Xinhua via Getty Images)
Yu, born in Baoding in 2012, started swimming at the age of 6. She used to spend summers at a local water park until a coach approached her one day about swimming. After that, she began training seriously and, three years later, joined the Hebei Taihua Jinye Swimming Club. The club is located south of Beijing.
At age 11, Yu came just short of qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in the 400 IM. The World Aquatics Olympic qualifying mark was 4:38.53, and she posted a time of 4:40.97.
At the 2025 Chinese National Championships, Yu delivered some of her best performances yet. Her times in the 200 butterfly and 400 IM would have placed fourth at the 2024 Paris Games. In the 200 IM, her time of 2:10.63 was the fastest ever recorded by a 12-year-old swimmer, regardless of gender. That time also earned her a silver medal.
Yu's presence at the 2025 World Championships stands out in part due to her young age. The only swimmer younger than Yu to compete at a World Championships was Bahrain's Alzain Tareq, who raced at age 10 in 2015 under different qualifying standards.
What's Next For Yu Zidi At The 2025 World Championships?
SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE - JULY 27: Yu Zidi of Team China prepares to compete in the Women's 200m ... More Individual Medley Semifinal on day 17 of the Singapore 2025 World Aquatics Championships at World Aquatics Championships Arena on July 27, 2025 in Singapore. (Photo by)
Yu still has the 200 butterfly and 400 IM left to swim at the 2025 World Championships. The finals for the 200 butterfly will be held on Thursday, July 31, while the finals for the 400 IM are scheduled for Sunday, August 3, the final day of swimming competition.
If Yu secures a medal, she will make history as the youngest person to win a medal at an international event in nearly 90 years. The last time was when Denmark's Inge Sørensen earned a bronze medal at the 1936 Berlin Olympics shortly after turning 12.
Comparing Yu's times to top swimmers shows how strong her performances are. For example, Yu's time in the 400 IM is 15 seconds faster than McIntosh's at the same age. McIntosh, who currently holds the world record in the event, is a three-time Olympic champion with gold medals in the 200 butterfly, 200 IM and 400 IM. She broke her own world record in the 400 IM in June at the 2025 Canadian Swimming Trials with a time of 4:23.65.
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