Yu Zidi - born in October 2012, was only 12 years and 9 months old when she joined the Chinese team participating in the 2025 World Swimming Championships taking place in Singapore. Not enough to meet the number of participants or just to learn, Yu Zidi officially registered to compete in the 200m medley, 400m medley, 4x200m freestyle relay for women...
Yu Zidi attracted attention when she overcame a series of extremely strong opponents to enter the finals of the two individual events of the 200m medley and the women's 200m butterfly. In both events, she finished fourth overall, only 0.06 seconds and 0.31 seconds behind the bronze medalist, respectively.
Becoming the world's fastest swimmer in the women's 200m medley at the age of 12 was still not enough to satisfy the 7th grader from Hebei province.
12-year-old swimmer Yu Zidi almost won medals in two individual events
Public opinion was even more stirred when Yu Zidi appeared on the podium to receive the medal after the women's 4x200m freestyle relay.
The Chinese team finished third in this event and Yu Zidi also received a bronze medal even though she only competed in the qualifying round and did not directly participate in the final round.
This is completely in accordance with the regulations of the World Aquatics Federation for athletes who contribute to the qualifying round.
What surprised the public was that Yu, the youngest athlete to ever win a medal at the World Championships, was still under the age limit. World Aquatics currently requires athletes to be 14 years old by December 31 of the competition year to be eligible to compete at the World Championships.
However, Yu's case is perhaps a special exception, as she achieved the "A" standard - the qualifying result - through the Chinese National Championships in May.
Yu Zidi qualifies for World Championships from national tournament performance
Speaking to the media, World Aquatics CEO Brent Nowicki admitted that he did not expect a 12-year-old athlete to meet the standards that are already very strict for most swimmers around the world.
"We are confident in our protection mechanism for young athletes, but Yu's case makes us rethink. We may need to adjust it to better suit the reality," said Mr. Nowicki.
Yu Zidi's appearance at the top level also raised concerns from experts, creating many conflicting opinions in the swimming community.
Steve Parry - former British swimmer who won a bronze medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics - warned of the physical consequences if children are pushed into a harsh competition and training environment too early.
The world is abuzz with the news that an athlete as young as Yu is training and competing in a world tournament.
Meanwhile, another swimming star, Karen Pickering, questioned the intensity of training Yu had undergone and the potential long-term health effects, similar to what has happened to young gymnasts.
Yu (second from left) received a bronze medal in the 4x200m freestyle relay.
From the Yu Zidi phenomenon, the world of sports is facing a problem that is not new but increasingly urgent: How to nurture talent without sacrificing the natural development of children?
At the age of 12, Yu Zidi has already written her name into history, but her story is not simply about her achievements but also a reminder to the global sports community about their responsibility towards future talents.
Source: https://nld.com.vn/than-dong-12-tuoi-yu-zidi-cua-trung-quoc-gay-chan-dong-lang-boi-the-gioi-196250802084145363.htm
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