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Yu Zidi

Yu Zidi
The latest news and top stories on Yu Zidi, a prodigious 12-year-old Chinese swimmer. She has achieved world-leading times, notably the fastest ever 200m individual medley by a 12-year-old, and exceptional performances in the 200m butterfly and 400m individual medley. Her times in these events would have placed highly at last year’s Paris Olympics. Training at Hebei Taihua Jinye Swimming Club, she consistently sets personal bests and has secured qualification for the upcoming World Aquatics Championships in Singapore.
China’s Yu Zidi one her way to winning the women’s 200m butterfly Asian Games final at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre on Sunday. Photo: Reuters
Asian Games 2026

Asian Games 200m butterfly gold just the start for Chinese sensation Yu Zidi, 13

After bursting onto international scene last year, Hebei native clinches first regional title on debut appearance, with promise of more ahead.

Asian Games 2026

Asian Games: Hong Kong women claim historic swim silver, Yu leads China domination

Asian Games 2026

Asian Games: from teen swimmers to titans of tennis, 5 stars set to shine in Japan

Asian Games 2026

Chaos, tepid public interest at Asian Games so far but things will heat up when it counts

Hong Kong team among those hit by issues such as housing, but the enlarged multi-sport event will see its share of world-class competition.

A general view of the main stadium, venue for the opening and closing ceremonies and the athletics programme for the Asian Games in Nagoya starting offocially on Saturday. Photo: AP
Asian Games 2026

Asian Games: when it starts, how to watch, what’s new, where city could win gold

Event officially starts on Saturday, with karate star Grace Lau a potential early medallist before Siobhan Haughey gets into action Monday.

Asian Games 2026

Chinese swimming prodigy Yu Zidi ‘excited’ for Asian Games debut, eyes Olympic glory

Some in the swimming world have questioned the mental and physical impact of high-level training and competing on the 13-year-old schoolgirl.

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Asian Games 2026

Swimmer Yu Zidi among bumper China team for Asian Games, but Zheng Qinwen misses out

The squad has an average age of 24 and also features reigning Olympic champions Wang Zongyuan, Chen Yuxi, Sun Yingsha and Wang Manyu.

Yu Zidi, here at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships, is among 815 athletes in the China team for the Asian Games. Photo: AFP
Asian Games 2026

Eala, Yu Zidi all aboard as Japan’s Asian Games preparations enter ‘final stages’

Filipino tennis star, Chinese swimming sensation and Indian cricket prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to make waves with a cruise ship in Nagoya.

Swimming

Chinese teen sensation Yu Zidi steals headlines again at national swimming meet

The 13-year-old Hebei native swims five personal-best times as she wins three gold medals in Hangzhou.

Swimming

Yu Zidi completes golden hat-trick in China Open Swimming Championships

The 13-year-old fights back to win 200m individual medley, while Tokyo Olympic champion Wang Shun is second on season debut.

Yi Zidi is celebrating a hat-trick of golds from the China Open Swimming Championships. Photo: AFP
Swimming

Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey misses out on main final at China Open

China’s Tang Qianting continued her outstanding form to win the 100m breaststroke, while Pan Zhanle claimed bronze in the 100m freestyle.

Siobhan Haughey missed out on the women’s 100m breaststroke A final at the China Open. Photo: Xinhua
Swimming

Haughey wins 100m freestyle at China Open, Tang breaks own Asian record twice

Siobhan Haughey leads from start to finish in Shenzhen, while China’s Tang breaks women’s 50m breaststroke time in heats and in the final.

Swimming

China teen sensation Yu becomes youngest ever to receive Laureus nomination

Yu Zidi up for Breakthrough of the Year Award, while Hong Kong charity Rugby for Good also gets a nod in Sport for Good category.

Hong Kong sports

From ice hockey to sevens, here’s what lies ahead for Hong Kong sport in 2026

It might only be the start of the year, but the city already has a packed sporting calendar.

Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli tries a shot in the first half of his side’s Hong Kong Football Festival clash against Tottenham Hotspur at Kai Tak Stadium. Photo: Elson Li
2025 National Games

National Games’ new generation set to shine at Asian Games, Olympics and beyond

Hong Kong’s Ceci Lee and Ryan Choi among a host of athletes who have taken the torch from the likes of Ma Long, Sun Yang and Pan Zhanle.

Cyclist Ceci Lee is Hong Kong’s newest sporting superstar after winning three gold medals at the National Games. Photo: Karma Lo
2025 National Games

National Games: with 3 races to go, Zhang can already be crowned swimming king

The 18-year-old Shandong native has won 3 golds so far, leaving a couple of previous champs behind, and is only halfway through his programme.

2025 National Games

Swimmer Yu, 13, breaks record set before she was born to win National Games gold

Yu becomes Asia’s fastest ever in 200m individual medley, while Qin Haiyang and Zhang Yufei also swim to gold in Shenzhen.

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2025 National Games

Yu Zidi’s meteoric rise, Chen Meng’s comeback are National Games day 2 must-sees

Tuesday includes a swimming sensation and return of an Olympic table tennis champ who has not played at top level since world rankings row.

Yu Zidi will swim in the 200m individual medley on Tuesday. Photo: Weibo/@孟巍威猛
2025 National Games

Beyond Siobhan: Hong Kong’s best bets, China’s top threats at National Games

City’s main medal hope has barely competed this year, but there are other contenders who could spring a surprise against the mainland giants.

Swimming

Yu Zidi close to medal again as McIntosh, US relay women rule at swimming worlds

Summer McIntosh equals Phelps feat with her fourth gold at World Aquatics Championships, US break world record in women’s 4x100m medley.

Swimming

Pan Zhanle can’t repeat Olympic relay defeat of US, but Yu, 12, has medal chance

Yu swims in 400 metres medley at World Championships, while China’s team fail to reach relay final a year after ending American monopoly.

Pan Zhanle has finished out of the running in several events in Singapore. Photo: Xinhua
Swimming

China’s women claim relay bronze, handing Yu Zidi first medal in Singapore

12-year-old helps team qualify third fastest for final of women’s 4x200m freestyle relay in Singapore; finishes fourth in 200m butterfly.

China’s women (from left) Liu Yaxin, Yu Yiting, Li Bingjie, and Yang Peiqi celebrate after finishing third place in the final of the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay. Photo: AFP
Swimming

Qin wins China’s first swimming gold of world championships, Yu Zidi fourth

Chinese 12-year-old prodigy Yu misses out on medley bronze by just 0.06 seconds as Summer McIntosh wins second gold in Singapore.

Swimming

Profile | Who is Yu Zidi, the Chinese 12-year-old making waves at World Aquatics Championships?

Swimmer can make history on Monday as the youngest person to win a medal at an international event since 1936.

Swimming

All eyes on China swimmer Yu, 12, who takes stunning times to world championships

World will be eagerly watching preteen swimmer, whose times in May would have come close to winning medals at Paris Olympics last year.

Twelve-year-old Chinese swimmer Yu Zidi celebrates on the podium after winning the 400m individual medley at the National Swimming Championships in Shenzhen in May. Photo: AP
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