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SCMP Sport

China’s Yu Zidi said she would go away and study Summer McIntosh’s technique and hoped to one day “be as good” as the Canadian, who dominated the World Aquatics Championships.
McIntosh showed why she will be one of the stars of the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, but 12-year-old Yu is shaping up to be a major threat.
The United States also showed that tales of their demise in Singapore were exaggerated as teams embarked on the long road to LA.
Yu became the youngest medallist in world championships history, taking home a relay bronze, and racing against McIntosh, the schoolgirl narrowly missed out on an individual medal by finishing fourth in each of her events – the 400 metres medley, 200m butterfly and 200m medley, where she touched just 0.06 seconds from a bronze medal.
Her rivals are already predicting she will be a major force at the 2028 Olympics.

Canada’s Mary-Sophie Harvey, who held off Yu for bronze in the 200m medley, said: “I think going into LA we’re probably going to see her a lot more.”
American Alex Walsh, who took silver, said Yu was “phenomenally talented at such a young age”.
Yu said racing against elite swimmers she once only watched on television offered invaluable experience.
“I learned so much,” she said. “For example, I want to study Summer McIntosh’s turns – I really admire her technique. I see her as a role model and hope I can become as good as she is someday.”
Her emergence was the bright spot of a youthful Chinese squad that finished third in the medal standings with two golds, six silvers and six bronzes, trailing only the US and Australia.
Qin Haiyang, who swept all three breaststroke titles at the 2023 Fukuoka Worlds but left the Paris Olympics without an individual gold, returned to form by winning the men’s 100m and 200m breaststroke.
Li Bingjie took silver in the 200m and 400m freestyle – beating US great Katie Ledecky in the latter – while Tang Qianting medalled in both breaststroke sprints. Rising star Wan Letian and sprinters Wu Qingfeng and Cheng Yujie also reached the podium, with China adding four more medals in relays.
“This is the first international competition of the new Olympic cycle,” Cui Dengrong, China’s head coach, said. “Our focus is on developing young athletes and coaches while assessing our standing on the world stage.”
Canada, meanwhile, ended the world championships on Sunday with four gold medals, all won by the 18-year-old phenomenon, McIntosh.
Yet it was the one that got away that rankled with the teenager, having been forced to settle for bronze in the 800m freestyle, which Ledecky won for a seventh time.
It meant that three-time Paris Olympics gold medallist McIntosh fell just short of matching Michael Phelps’s feat of five individual titles at a single world championships.
“I think it’s just going to keep me hungry and push, and keep moving forward,” McIntosh said. “Even if I were to get five golds, I would still want more. That’s just my mentality.”
McIntosh broke three world records in a matter of days at the Canadian trials in June and then powered to gold in the 200m and 400m individual medleys, 400m freestyle and 200m butterfly in Singapore.


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Chinese prodigy Yu Zidi eyes emulating swimming great Summer McIntosh

World Aquatics Championships

Chinese swimmer Yu Zidi (left) wants to emulate the success of Canada’s Summer Mcintosh (right). Photo: AFP

Several of Yu Zidi’s rivals predict she will be a major threat at the 2028 Olympic Games. Photo: Xinhua

Yu Zidi close to medal again as McIntosh, US women rule on swimming worlds’ final night

Yu Zidi of China swims in the women’s 400m individual medley final in Singapore on Sunday. Photo: Xinhua

Yu Zidi reflects on the 400m medley final with Summer McIntosh. Photo: Xinhua

China’s team join the record-breaking Americans on the women’s 4x100m medley podium. Photo: Xinhua

World Aquatics Championships: Qin Haiyang bags 200m breaststroke gold in ‘lane 8 miracle’

China’s Qin Haiyang celebrates winning the 200m breaststoke final at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore on Friday. Photo: EPA

Ji Xinjie, Pan Zhanle, Wang Shun and Zhang Zhanshuo were second in the 4x200m final. Photo: Reuters

Sport

China

Canadian shows while she will be one of the stars of the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, but 12-year-old Yu shaping up to be major threat


Canadian shows while she will be one of the stars of the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, but 12-year-old Yu shaping up to be major threat.


World Aquatics

Swimming

Qin Haiyang

Summer McIntosh

Chinese prodigy Yu Zidi eyes emulating swimming great Summer McIntosh

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Canadian shows while she will be one of the stars of the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, but 12-year-old Yu shaping up to be major threat

Canadian shows while she will be one of the stars of the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, but 12-year-old Yu shaping up to be major threat