The prodigy’s stellar performances include a 400m medley win at China’s national swimming championships
Yu Zidi, a 12-year-old swimming prodigy, dazzles with her record-breaking performances. Photo: AFPChinese 12-year-old swimming sensation Yu Zidi could be the brightest young star at this year’s World Championships after her performances last month.
In her “doggy” swim cap, she won the women’s 400-metre individual medley race at the China national swimming championships. She completed it in four minutes and 35.53 seconds.
The time needed to qualify for the world competition is four minutes and 43.06 seconds. It was also the year’s fifth-quickest time and would have earned her fourth place at the Paris Olympics.
Zidi’s achievement came just a few days after her 200-metre butterfly gold in a hardly believable 2:06.83, also the fifth-fastest in the world this year and another time that would have earned fourth place in the Paris Olympics.
Zidi turns 13 in October. She has been called a “prodigy” by the Chinese government after gaining fame last year.