Singapore, Jul 17 (AP) — China's Yu Zidi, just 12 years of age, is set to compete at the world swimming championships in Singapore later this month. That in itself is remarkable. Yet, her age is only a portion of the narrative.
Not only is she impressively young, but Yu's times in three events this year rank among the world's elite. In fact, these timings nearly secured medals in last year's Paris Olympics. Remember, Yu is only 12, a typical sixth- or seventh-grader, and not even a teenager yet.
"I think it's a great story. I don't know where it will lead," commented Greg Meehan, the national team director for the American contingent in Singapore, in an interview with The Associated Press.
The Global Spotlight — As with many promising young swimmers, Yu continues to set personal bests nearly every time she takes to the pool. These personal bests aren't just confidence boosters; they are indicators of looming records, potential medals, and impending stardom. Yu has qualified for the 200- and 400-meter individual medleys, as well as the 200 butterfly, and she has the potential to medal in all three events.
Yu set a new benchmark at the Chinese championships in May with a time of 2 minutes, 10.63 seconds in the 200 IM, the fastest ever recorded by a 12-year-old — irrespective of gender — according to World Aquatics, the governing body of the sport.
But that was merely the beginning. Her impressive 2:06.83 in the 200 butterfly during the same meet would have earned her a fourth-place finish at last year's Paris Olympics. This timing was the fifth fastest globally this year and would have been sufficient for gold at the 2024 worlds. Remember, Yu is just a 12-year-old.
Closing the national championships, Yu swam 4:35.53 in the 400 IM, the year's fifth-fastest time in that event. This would have placed her fourth at last year's Olympics, narrowly trailing the bronze medalist, the USA's Emma Weyant, by a mere 0.6 seconds.
Faster than McIntosh at the Same Age — The 400 IM features prominently, dominated by 18-year-old Canadian Summer McIntosh, who holds the world record of 4:23.65, as well as the 200 IM mark of 2:05.70. A generational talent, McIntosh claimed three gold medals in Paris.
Comparatively, Yu at 12 is swimming about 15 seconds faster in the 400 IM than McIntosh at that same age, and approximately 12 seconds quicker in the 200 IM. In a 50-meter pool, 12 to 15 seconds roughly equate to about half a lap, subject to the event.
While young swimmers achieving excellence isn't unheard of, Yu's incredible times and the promise of greater achievements set her apart. However, the path to success isn't guaranteed, and burnout is a real risk for young swimmers.
Swimming Began as Fun — Yu recalls her swimming journey started at age 6 in a water amusement park. "One summer, it was unbearably hot, and my dad took me to the water park," she recounted to China’s Xinhua News Agency. "I relished the water's coolness, spending hours in various kiddie pools. One day, a coach approached me and asked if I wanted to swim faster." The rest, as they say, is history.
"Since I am not competitive in sprint events, I had to choose the 400-meter individual medley and 200-meter butterfly as my favorites," she told Xinhua. "Currently, my age is an advantage, and I hope to grow and develop more strength in the future." Yu trains at the Hebei Taihua Jinye Swimming Club in Hengshui City, south of Beijing in Hebei Province.
Alzain Tareq of Bahrain was only 10 during her stint in the 2015 worlds, though she finished last. World Aquatics has now implemented stricter age rules, demanding swimmers be at least 14 unless times meet qualification standards. In practice, this effectively removes age limitations.
The Road to LA Olympics — If Yu secures Olympic gold in the Los Angeles games in three years, she'll be 15. Yet, she wouldn't be the youngest swimmer to claim Olympic gold. Kyoko Iwasaki of Japan was just 14 years and 6 days old when she won the 200 breaststroke gold at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
Female swimmers often reach their prime early. SwimSwam, a noted specialty publication and website, cites seven women swimmers who clinched Olympic gold before hitting 15 years of age. This list includes three individual event champions, with four achieving gold in relays.
American swimming superstar Katie Ledecky was 15 years and 139 days old when she clinched the 800 freestyle at the 2012 London Olympics, marking the first of her nine gold medals over four Olympics. Ledecky remains active, dominating the 1,500 meters in Singapore, possessing the top 23 times in history for the event, plus No. 25.
For a further perspective: Ledecky’s first gold came shortly before Yu’s existence — on Oct. 6, 2012. "I have no idea what it's like to compete abroad," Yu told Xinhua. "I am eager to experience the thrill of world-class competition." Indeed, the world is watching. (AP) AM AM AM
(Only the headline of this report may have been reworked by Editorji; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
