China's 13-year-old Yu Zidi keeps rewriting the record books. After winning 200m butterfly gold with an Asian Games record on Sunday, she smashed another one Monday, clocking 2:06.10 in the 200m individual medley, an Asian and world-junior record, just 0.4 seconds off Summer McIntosh's world record. Last year, aged just 12, Yu became swimming's youngest-ever World Championships medallist. With the 400m IM still to come on Wednesday, this teen phenom shows no signs of slowing down.


13-year-old Yu Zidi smashes another Asian Games record, now closing in on world record

Schoolgirl swimmer Yu Zidi won her second gold of the Asian Games on Monday with the fastest time in the world this year, while a teenage badminton player became the first doping case. Yu's winning time of 2min 06.10sec in the 200m individual medley was only 0.40sec slower than the world record of Canadian Summer McIntosh and showed why the Chinese sensation could take the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics by storm.&nbsp;"I feel even happier winning this second gold medal than I did with the first one," said the 13-year-old Yu, who won the 200m butterfly on Sunday and has smashed two Asian Games records in as many days.&nbsp;There was drama in the Tokyo Aquatics Centre pool when Japan star Shin Ohashi dead-heated with China's Dong Zhihao to give them each a gold in the men's 100m breaststroke.&nbsp;Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asian-games-2026-meet-yu-zidi-china-s-13-year-old-gold-medallist-swimmer-1789970749048">Asian Games 2026: Meet Yu Zidi - China's 13-year-old gold medallist swimmer</a>&nbsp;"I'm really happy to get a gold but it was a tie so it's a little frustrating," said Ohashi. "The feeling is 50-50."&nbsp;Hong Kong's Siobhan Haughey defended her title in the women's 200m freestyle.&nbsp;Thailand's talented young women's badminton player Pitchamon Opatniputh became the first known doping case of the Nagoya-Aichi Games. The 19-year-old returned a positive sample for the banned substance furosemide and has been provisionally suspended, the International Testing Agency said. The teenager, who is ranked 18th in the world and regarded as a rising star back home, had been due to face China on Tuesday in the team event.<h2>Koreas draw</h2>The women's football group stage meeting between North and South Korea was hotly anticipated but turned into a niggly affair which ended 1-1 in Shizuoka. Just over 2,000 fans were at the 50,000-capacity stadium which staged matches at the 2002 World Cup, with a group of North Korean fans wearing red t-shirts with some having the country's flag painted on their faces.&nbsp;North Korea led through Chae Un Yong's first-half goal.&nbsp;Yun Su-jeong's second-half strike ensured the spoils were shared and the players exchanged tepid high-fives at the end, but did not speak to each other.&nbsp;The neighbours remain technically at war because the 1950-53 Korean war ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty.&nbsp;The boxing began Monday at Aichi's Nishio Gymnasium with some shock results in the men's light-middleweight (70kg) as silver and bronze medalists from three years ago at the Hangzhou Games both lost in the last 32.&nbsp;Kan Chia-wei of Taiwan, second in Hangzhou, was beaten on a 4-1 split decision by Palestine's Mohammed Issa.&nbsp;"I am not satisfied with this result," said Kan. "I suffered a shoulder injury, so my next goal is to regain my fitness."&nbsp;That came moments after Bayramdurdy Nurmuhammedov of Turkmenistan, third in 2023, lost by the same scoreline to Bahrain's Aly Abdalla.&nbsp;"He doesn't have IQ, he just (puts) pressure, pressure, pressure," said Abdalla after outthinking his marauding opponent.&nbsp;"That's why he was a little bit hard today because it's the toughest, such pressure, so there is no chance just to box."

China’s 13-year-old Yu Zidi wins second Asian Games gold in 200m IM as Thailand badminton star Pitchamon Opatniputh faces first doping ban.

Schoolgirl swimmer Yu Zidi won her second gold of the Asian Games on Monday with the fastest time in the world this year, while a teenage badminton player became the first doping case. Yu's winning time of 2min 06.10sec in the 200m individual medley was only 0.40sec slower than the world record of Canadian Summer McIntosh and showed why the Chinese sensation could take the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics by storm. "I feel even happier winning this second gold medal than I did with the first one," said the 13-year-old Yu, who won the 200m butterfly on Sunday and has smashed two Asian Games records in as many days. There was drama in the Tokyo Aquatics Centre pool when Japan star Shin Ohashi dead-heated with China's Dong Zhihao to give them each a gold in the men's 100m breaststroke. Also read| Asian Games 2026: Meet Yu Zidi - China's 13-year-old gold medallist swimmer "I'm really happy to get a gold but it was a tie so it's a little frustrating," said Ohashi. "The feeling is 50-50." Hong Kong's Siobhan Haughey defended her title in the women's 200m freestyle. Thailand's talented young women's badminton player Pitchamon Opatniputh became the first known doping case of the Nagoya-Aichi Games. The 19-year-old returned a positive sample for the banned substance furosemide and has been provisionally suspended, the International Testing Agency said. The teenager, who is ranked 18th in the world and regarded as a rising star back home, had been due to face China on Tuesday in the team event. Koreas draw The women's football group stage meeting between North and South Korea was hotly anticipated but turned into a niggly affair which ended 1-1 in Shizuoka. Just over 2,000 fans were at the 50,000-capacity stadium which staged matches at the 2002 World Cup, with a group of North Korean fans wearing red t-shirts with some having the country's flag painted on their faces. North Korea led through Chae Un Yong's first-half goal. Yun Su-jeong's second-half strike ensured the spoils were shared and the players exchanged tepid high-fives at the end, but did not speak to each other. The neighbours remain technically at war because the 1950-53 Korean war ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty. The boxing began Monday at Aichi's Nishio Gymnasium with some shock results in the men's light-middleweight (70kg) as silver and bronze medalists from three years ago at the Hangzhou Games both lost in the last 32. Kan Chia-wei of Taiwan, second in Hangzhou, was beaten on a 4-1 split decision by Palestine's Mohammed Issa. "I am not satisfied with this result," said Kan. "I suffered a shoulder injury, so my next goal is to regain my fitness." That came moments after Bayramdurdy Nurmuhammedov of Turkmenistan, third in 2023, lost by the same scoreline to Bahrain's Aly Abdalla. "He doesn't have IQ, he just (puts) pressure, pressure, pressure," said Abdalla after outthinking his marauding opponent. "That's why he was a little bit hard today because it's the toughest, such pressure, so there is no chance just to box."

China’s 13-year-old Yu Zidi wins second Asian Games gold in 200m IM as Thailand badminton star Pitchamon Opatniputh faces first doping ban.

China's Yu Zidi, 13, wins second gold as first doping case hits Asian Games

China's 13-year-old Yu Zidi scripted history at the ongoing 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya with a gold medal in swimming on Sunday (Sep 20). Yu won her medal in the 200m butterfly, clocking an Asian Games record time of 2:05.08. With the Los Angeles Olympics about two years away, Yu's first major gold couldn't have come at a better time. Last year, she became the youngest medal winner in swimming World Championships history with a bronze in a relay race at the age of just 12. The schoolgirl turns 14 next month and will compete in two more events at the ongoing Asian Games.<h2>Yu reacts to winning gold at Asian Games</h2>Yu reacted to her swimming medal win at the Asian Games by saying "it was only so-so," albeit with a smile. With her win, her hopes of participating in the Olympics have definitely gained momentum. At the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Canada's Summer McIntosh had also made her debut at 14 and finished fourth in the 400m freestyle.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fleming-s-aspirations-as-england-test-coach-included-wtc-top-ranking-and-ashes-1789963621063">Fleming's aspirations as England Test coach include WTC, top ranking and Ashes</a>Meanwhile, Hong Kong's multiple Olympic medalist Siobhan Haughey says Yu is exciting for the swimming world. "I think the general consensus is we have more and more great young swimmers swimming well," said Haughey, 28, on Monday (Sep 21), as reported by AFP."When Summer first started she was also very young and swimming fast, so I think that's kind of the trend these days."Hopefully, swimming well that young translates to as you get older and well into your 20s and beyond, so it's exciting for the swimming world," she added.<h2>What's next at the Asian Games?</h2>Swimming is one of the sports taking place in Tokyo, while the rest of the events are being played in Aichi-Nagoya. As for Yu, she will next compete in the 200m individual medley and 400m individual medley, hoping to increase her medal tally.

13-year-old Yu Zidi won 200m butterfly gold in Asian Games record time (2:05.08) at Aichi-Nagoya 2026. China’s rising star next targets the 200m and 400m IM as multi-medalist Siobhan Haughey praised her.

China's 13-year-old Yu Zidi scripted history at the ongoing 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya with a gold medal in swimming on Sunday (Sep 20). Yu won her medal in the 200m butterfly, clocking an Asian Games record time of 2:05.08. With the Los Angeles Olympics about two years away, Yu's first major gold couldn't have come at a better time. Last year, she became the youngest medal winner in swimming World Championships history with a bronze in a relay race at the age of just 12. The schoolgirl turns 14 next month and will compete in two more events at the ongoing Asian Games. Yu reacts to winning gold at Asian Games Yu reacted to her swimming medal win at the Asian Games by saying "it was only so-so," albeit with a smile. With her win, her hopes of participating in the Olympics have definitely gained momentum. At the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Canada's Summer McIntosh had also made her debut at 14 and finished fourth in the 400m freestyle. Also Read - Fleming's aspirations as England Test coach include WTC, top ranking and Ashes Meanwhile, Hong Kong's multiple Olympic medalist Siobhan Haughey says Yu is exciting for the swimming world. "I think the general consensus is we have more and more great young swimmers swimming well," said Haughey, 28, on Monday (Sep 21), as reported by AFP. "When Summer first started she was also very young and swimming fast, so I think that's kind of the trend these days. "Hopefully, swimming well that young translates to as you get older and well into your 20s and beyond, so it's exciting for the swimming world," she added. What's next at the Asian Games? Swimming is one of the sports taking place in Tokyo, while the rest of the events are being played in Aichi-Nagoya. As for Yu, she will next compete in the 200m individual medley and 400m individual medley, hoping to increase her medal tally.

13-year-old Yu Zidi won 200m butterfly gold in Asian Games record time (2:05.08) at Aichi-Nagoya 2026. China’s rising star next targets the 200m and 400m IM as multi-medalist Siobhan Haughey praised her.

Asian Games 2026: Meet Yu Zidi - China's 13-year-old gold medallist swimmer

China’s teenage star Yu Zidi has rewritten the record books, breaking the Asian record in the women’s 200m individual medley and claiming gold at the National Games in Shenzhen. her performance has sparked excitement among swimming fans and highlights China’s emerging talent in competitive sports. the young swimmer continues to inspire aspiring athletes across Asia.


China's 13-Year-Old Yu Zidi Sets New Asian Mark in 200m Medley

China’s swimming sensation Yu Zidi has already made waves in the swimming world, but the 12-year-old etched her name into history. Yu became the youngest-ever medalist at the competition after being part of the China’s bronze winning medal team in the women’s 4x200-meter freestyle relay. While she didn’t swim in the final, Yu played a crucial role in the preliminaries, helping her team secure a spot in the medal race and thus qualifying for a medal.&nbsp;Australia’s quartet of Lani Pallister, Jamie Perkins, Brittany Castelluzzo, and Mollie O’Callaghan secured gold with a time of 7:39.35. The United States took silver in 7:40.01, while China finished third in 7:42.99. Earlier in the day, Yu came agonizingly close to an individual podium finish in the women’s 200m butterfly, missing bronze by just 0.31 seconds to Australia’s Elizabeth Dekkers. Yu will have one final shot at individual glory in Singapore when she competes in the women’s 400m medley on Sunday (August 3), with both the heats and final scheduled that day.<h2>Who is Yu Zidi?</h2>At just 12 years old, Yu Zidi is already making waves in international swimming circuit. The Chinese sensation is competing in her first-ever World Aquatics Championships in Singapore — becoming the second-youngest competitor in the event’s history — and has already delivered a performance well beyond her years.&nbsp;In her debut race, the 200m individual medley, Yu finished fourth, missing out on a bronze medal by a razor-thin 0.06 seconds. Her time of 2:09.21 was more than a second faster than her previous best, and astonishingly, over nine seconds quicker than the U.S. girls’ national age-group record for 11-12-year-olds. She’s also faster than the boys’ record in that age bracket by three seconds. Yu’s swimming journey began at six when she met a coach during a family trip to a water park. Her rapid rise has been guided by Olympic medallist Li Bingjie — Yu’s idol and mentor — who she affectionately calls her “older sister.” Despite most World Championship swimmers needing to be at least 14, Yu qualified early by meeting the competition’s elite “A” standard.&nbsp;Last year, Yu narrowly missed qualifying for the Paris Olympics in the 400m individual medley, falling just over two seconds short. But at the 2024 Chinese Nationals, her 4:35.53 would have placed fourth in the Olympic final. In May, she shattered the 12-year-old world record in the 200m IM with a 2:10.63, prompting World Aquatics to hail her as a “sensation.”&nbsp;While the 200m IM is considered only her third-best event — behind the 200m butterfly and 400m IM — Yu’s fearless debut has made her a medal contender in the days ahead. “She’s phenomenally talented at such a young age,” American silver medallist Alex Walsh was quoted saying in an interview. “It’ll be exciting to see how she builds on this meet because her future is incredibly bright.”

History made 12 year old swimming sensation Yu Zidi becomes youngest medalist at World Aquatics Championships

China’s swimming sensation Yu Zidi has already made waves in the swimming world, but the 12-year-old etched her name into history. Yu became the youngest-ever medalist at the competition after being part of the China’s bronze winning medal team in the women’s 4x200-meter freestyle relay. While she didn’t swim in the final, Yu played a crucial role in the preliminaries, helping her team secure a spot in the medal race and thus qualifying for a medal. Australia’s quartet of Lani Pallister, Jamie Perkins, Brittany Castelluzzo, and Mollie O’Callaghan secured gold with a time of 7:39.35. The United States took silver in 7:40.01, while China finished third in 7:42.99. Earlier in the day, Yu came agonizingly close to an individual podium finish in the women’s 200m butterfly, missing bronze by just 0.31 seconds to Australia’s Elizabeth Dekkers. Yu will have one final shot at individual glory in Singapore when she competes in the women’s 400m medley on Sunday (August 3), with both the heats and final scheduled that day. Who is Yu Zidi? At just 12 years old, Yu Zidi is already making waves in international swimming circuit. The Chinese sensation is competing in her first-ever World Aquatics Championships in Singapore — becoming the second-youngest competitor in the event’s history — and has already delivered a performance well beyond her years. In her debut race, the 200m individual medley, Yu finished fourth, missing out on a bronze medal by a razor-thin 0.06 seconds. Her time of 2:09.21 was more than a second faster than her previous best, and astonishingly, over nine seconds quicker than the U.S. girls’ national age-group record for 11-12-year-olds. She’s also faster than the boys’ record in that age bracket by three seconds. Yu’s swimming journey began at six when she met a coach during a family trip to a water park. Her rapid rise has been guided by Olympic medallist Li Bingjie — Yu’s idol and mentor — who she affectionately calls her “older sister.” Despite most World Championship swimmers needing to be at least 14, Yu qualified early by meeting the competition’s elite “A” standard. Last year, Yu narrowly missed qualifying for the Paris Olympics in the 400m individual medley, falling just over two seconds short. But at the 2024 Chinese Nationals, her 4:35.53 would have placed fourth in the Olympic final. In May, she shattered the 12-year-old world record in the 200m IM with a 2:10.63, prompting World Aquatics to hail her as a “sensation.” While the 200m IM is considered only her third-best event — behind the 200m butterfly and 400m IM — Yu’s fearless debut has made her a medal contender in the days ahead. “She’s phenomenally talented at such a young age,” American silver medallist Alex Walsh was quoted saying in an interview. “It’ll be exciting to see how she builds on this meet because her future is incredibly bright.”

Yu, who will turn 13 in October, discovered swimming at an age six as a way to cool off during China's summers. Last year, Yu narrowly missed qualifying for the Paris Olympics in the 400m individual medley, falling just over two seconds short

History made! Yu Zidi, 12-year-old swimming sensation becomes youngest medalist at World Aquatics Championships

At just 12 years old, Yu Zidi is making waves in international swimming circuit. The Chinese sensation is competing in her first-ever World Aquatics Championships in Singapore — becoming the second-youngest competitor in the event’s history — and has already delivered a performance well beyond her years.&nbsp;In her debut race, the 200m individual medley, Yu finished fourth, missing out on a bronze medal by a razor-thin 0.06 seconds. Her time of 2:09.21 was more than a second faster than her previous best, and astonishingly, over nine seconds quicker than the U.S. girls’ national age-group record for 11-12-year-olds. She’s also faster than the boys’ record in that age bracket by three seconds.&nbsp;Now, the governing body of swimming on Wednesday (July 30) said it would "have a look" at its entry policy following Yu Zidi's appearance at the world championships. Chinese schoolgirl Yu was 0.06sec short of securing a medal on Monday in Singapore and may still make the podium, with two of her more favoured events still to come.&nbsp;The minimum age is 14 under World Aquatics regulations but younger competitors can qualify if -- as was the case with Yu -- they have met specific minimum standards. Brent Nowicki, its executive director, acknowledged they had been taken aback that someone so young as Yu had been sufficiently quick to qualify for the world championships.&nbsp;"Our 'A' standards are so paper-thin, they're so narrow that I don't think I ever, in my head, perceived that it was a possibility that a 12-year-old merited such a period," he said in Singapore. "I feel quite comfortable with where we are with our safeguarding strategy within our sport."&nbsp;But Nowicki conceded Yu might compel them to rethink. "She's terrific. I mean, there's a huge future there for her. Hopefully there might be some good things that might come out of this, and it might be terrific," he said. But he warned, “Obviously we have to ensure that that's what it is, right? We don't want to tip that balance and go the other way, and we have to be careful about that.” “We'll take a look and determine if we have to go further steps or if we're at a place we're okay with.”

As 12 year old Yu Zidi makes waves swimming governing body to look at age rules

At just 12 years old, Yu Zidi is making waves in international swimming circuit. The Chinese sensation is competing in her first-ever World Aquatics Championships in Singapore — becoming the second-youngest competitor in the event’s history — and has already delivered a performance well beyond her years. In her debut race, the 200m individual medley, Yu finished fourth, missing out on a bronze medal by a razor-thin 0.06 seconds. Her time of 2:09.21 was more than a second faster than her previous best, and astonishingly, over nine seconds quicker than the U.S. girls’ national age-group record for 11-12-year-olds. She’s also faster than the boys’ record in that age bracket by three seconds. Now, the governing body of swimming on Wednesday (July 30) said it would "have a look" at its entry policy following Yu Zidi's appearance at the world championships. Chinese schoolgirl Yu was 0.06sec short of securing a medal on Monday in Singapore and may still make the podium, with two of her more favoured events still to come. The minimum age is 14 under World Aquatics regulations but younger competitors can qualify if -- as was the case with Yu -- they have met specific minimum standards. Brent Nowicki, its executive director, acknowledged they had been taken aback that someone so young as Yu had been sufficiently quick to qualify for the world championships. "Our 'A' standards are so paper-thin, they're so narrow that I don't think I ever, in my head, perceived that it was a possibility that a 12-year-old merited such a period," he said in Singapore. "I feel quite comfortable with where we are with our safeguarding strategy within our sport." But Nowicki conceded Yu might compel them to rethink. "She's terrific. I mean, there's a huge future there for her. Hopefully there might be some good things that might come out of this, and it might be terrific," he said. But he warned, “Obviously we have to ensure that that's what it is, right? We don't want to tip that balance and go the other way, and we have to be careful about that.” “We'll take a look and determine if we have to go further steps or if we're at a place we're okay with.”

Under World Aquatics rules, the minimum age is 14 but younger swimmers can take part if they meet certain qualifying standards

As 12-year-old Yu Zidi makes waves, swimming governing body to 'look at age rules'

At just 12 years old, Yu Zidi is already making waves in international swimming circuit. The Chinese sensation is competing in her first-ever World Aquatics Championships in Singapore — becoming the second-youngest competitor in the event’s history — and has already delivered a performance well beyond her years.&nbsp;In her debut race, the 200m individual medley, Yu finished fourth, missing out on a bronze medal by a razor-thin 0.06 seconds. Her time of 2:09.21 was more than a second faster than her previous best, and astonishingly, over nine seconds quicker than the U.S. girls’ national age-group record for 11-12-year-olds. She’s also faster than the boys’ record in that age bracket by three seconds.&nbsp;Yu’s swimming journey began at six when she met a coach during a family trip to a water park. Her rapid rise has been guided by Olympic medallist Li Bingjie — Yu’s idol and mentor — who she affectionately calls her “older sister.” Despite most World Championship swimmers needing to be at least 14, Yu qualified early by meeting the competition’s elite “A” standard.&nbsp;Last year, Yu narrowly missed qualifying for the Paris Olympics in the 400m individual medley, falling just over two seconds short. But at the 2024 Chinese Nationals, her 4:35.53 would have placed fourth in the Olympic final. In May, she shattered the 12-year-old world record in the 200m IM with a 2:10.63, prompting World Aquatics to hail her as a “sensation.”&nbsp;While the 200m IM is considered only her third-best event — behind the 200m butterfly and 400m IM — Yu’s fearless debut has made her a medal contender in the days ahead. “She’s phenomenally talented at such a young age,” American silver medallist Alex Walsh was quoted saying in an interview. “It’ll be exciting to see how she builds on this meet because her future is incredibly bright.”

Who Is Yu Zidi? The 12‑Year‑old Chinese swimmer making waves at World Aquatics Championships

At just 12 years old, Yu Zidi is already making waves in international swimming circuit. The Chinese sensation is competing in her first-ever World Aquatics Championships in Singapore — becoming the second-youngest competitor in the event’s history — and has already delivered a performance well beyond her years. In her debut race, the 200m individual medley, Yu finished fourth, missing out on a bronze medal by a razor-thin 0.06 seconds. Her time of 2:09.21 was more than a second faster than her previous best, and astonishingly, over nine seconds quicker than the U.S. girls’ national age-group record for 11-12-year-olds. She’s also faster than the boys’ record in that age bracket by three seconds. Yu’s swimming journey began at six when she met a coach during a family trip to a water park. Her rapid rise has been guided by Olympic medallist Li Bingjie — Yu’s idol and mentor — who she affectionately calls her “older sister.” Despite most World Championship swimmers needing to be at least 14, Yu qualified early by meeting the competition’s elite “A” standard. Last year, Yu narrowly missed qualifying for the Paris Olympics in the 400m individual medley, falling just over two seconds short. But at the 2024 Chinese Nationals, her 4:35.53 would have placed fourth in the Olympic final. In May, she shattered the 12-year-old world record in the 200m IM with a 2:10.63, prompting World Aquatics to hail her as a “sensation.” While the 200m IM is considered only her third-best event — behind the 200m butterfly and 400m IM — Yu’s fearless debut has made her a medal contender in the days ahead. “She’s phenomenally talented at such a young age,” American silver medallist Alex Walsh was quoted saying in an interview. “It’ll be exciting to see how she builds on this meet because her future is incredibly bright.”

The young sensation from China is the second youngest competitor in the history of the World Aquatics Championships

yu-zidi

Yu Zidi, News on Yu Zidi, stories on Yu Zidi, articles on Yu Zidi, Yu Zidi stories at Wion, Yu Zidi news, Yu Zidi latest news

yu zidi

13-year-old Yu Zidi smashes another Asian Games record, now closing in on world record

China's Yu Zidi, 13, wins second gold as first doping case hits Asian Games

Asian Games 2026: Meet Yu Zidi - China's 13-year-old gold medallist swimmer

China's 13-Year-Old Yu Zidi Sets New Asian Mark in 200m Medley

12-year-old Yu Zidi becomes youngest medalist at World Aquatics Championships

Swimming governing body to look at 'age rules' after 12-year-old makes waves

Who Is Yu Zidi? The 12‑Year‑old making waves at World Aquatics Championships