Who’s Yu Zidi? Meet China’s 12-year-old swimming sensation

Yu Zidi is a 12-year-old Chinese swimmer who’s making her debut on the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore.

Yu is the second youngest competitor within the historical past of the championships and in her debut occasion she reached the ultimate of the 200m particular person medley.

Yu, who took up swimming on the age of six after assembly a coach throughout a household journey to a water park, completed fourth and solely exterior the medals by 0.06 seconds.

Typically on the World Aquatics Championships all rivals have to be at the least 14, however Yu was permitted entry because of her occasions assembly the affiliation’s “A” normal.

Ahead of the 2024 Olympics, Yu tried to qualify as a part of China’s staff on the video games for the 400m particular person medley occasion, however completed just below two-and-a-half seconds exterior of the qualifying time.

During the Chinese swimming trials earlier this 12 months, Yu’s 400m particular person medley time of 4:35.53 would have positioned her fourth in the identical occasion on the Paris Games.

Yu has been educated by team-mate and Olympic medallist Li Bingjie, who’s her idol. Li has additionally been described by Yu’s “older sister”.

As effectively as competing within the 200m particular person medley on the Singapore Sports Hub, Yu can be participating within the 200m butterfly occasion.

In May, Yu was hailed a “sensation” by World Aquatics on social media after she set a world document for a 12-year-old within the 200m particular person medley with a time of two:10.63.

This article is the most recent from BBC Sport’s Ask Me Anything staff.