Swim record shattered by 13-year-old Chinese pool prodigy Yu Zidi
She is the new record holder for the Chinese and Asian women’s 200m individual medley, the ninth fastest swimmer of all time in the same event and she is just 13. Meet China’s teen swim prodigy
READING LEVEL: GREEN
Teen swimming sensation Yu Zidi has produced one of the greatest swims of all time to shatter records at China’s National Games on Tuesday – and she did it just one month after turning 13.
Yu, who only just became a teenager in October, produced a swim for the ages in the women’s 200m individual medley*, where she won the event in a time of 2:07.41.
While the performance hasn’t threatened Canadian star Summer McIntosh’s world record swim of 2:05.70, set earlier this year, Yu’s performance for a 13-year-old athlete has been blowing minds in the world of competitive swimming.
Her time snapped the Chinese and Asian women’s 200m individual medley record, which had stood since 2012.
Tuesday’s swim smashed her own personal best by 1.8 seconds.
It also made her the ninth fastest swimmer of all time in the event.
Leading swimming commentator Kyle Sockwell wrote on X: “Still trying to wrap my mind around this 2:07.41 200 IM* from Yu Zidi who is barely 13-years-old. All context included, this has to be one of the most ridiculous swims of all time, no?”
Swimming journalist Retta Race wrote on SwimSwam: “We were treated to one of the most impressive women’s 200m IM performances in the history of swimming”.
Another swimming commentator called it “insane”.
One posted: “Yu Zidi is SHAKING the swimming world, we are all witnesses”.
The time was so quick, it would have seen her pick up the silver medal if she had swum it at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore earlier this year.
Yu became the youngest swimmer to ever win a world championship medal during the Singapore meet, when she competed in the championships a few months ago.
She went agonisingly close to winning an individual medal there, finishing fourth in the 200m butterfly, fourth in the 200m medley and fourth in the 400m medley.
She was awarded a bronze medal for swimming in the heats of the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay.
“It feels quite emotional, it’s a nice feeling,” she said at the time.
With her young age and impressive speed, the Singapore bronze will not be the final time she celebrates that winning feeling on the international stage.
She has been grabbing headlines across China in the past 12 months, labelled a “prodigy*” by Chinese state media.
Yu discovered swimming at age six as a way to cool off during summer hot spells.
She has been compared to Denmark’s Inge Sorensen, who at 12 was the youngest-ever winner of an Olympic swimming medal, taking bronze at the Berlin Games of 1936.
With the 2028 Los Angeles Games not far away, the swimming world has begun to speculate about what her Olympic success might look like.
Despite Yu’s promising future, some people have expressed concerns for her welfare given her young age and the pressures that competitive sport places on the body and mind.
World Aquatics, the governing body of world swimming, has an age limit of 14. However, younger swimmers are allowed to compete if their times surpass* a qualifying standard.
High performance commentators around the globe have previously raised questions about the mental and physical impacts of her high-level training and elite competition.
However, Yu was all smiles on Tuesday following her impressive performance.
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GLOSSARY
- individual medley: one swimmer swimming equal distances of four different strokes
- IM: short of individual medley
- prodigy: a young person with exceptional talent
- surpass: are better than
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QUICK QUIZ
1. In what event did Yu Zidi produce “a swim for the ages” at China’s National Games?
2. When did Yu turn 13?
3. What medal did she win at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore earlier this year?
4. What is the age limit set by World Aquatics?
5. Why have some people expressed concern for Yu’s welfare?
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CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. How would it feel?
What do you think Yu felt and thought as she swam the last lap of her amazing race? Write a description or monologue of what you think her thoughts and feelings were as she swam to victory.
Time: allow at least 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English
2. Extension
Why would high level training and elite competition have negative physical and mental impacts on a 13 year old like Yu? Brainstorm as many ideas as you can. Choose the four most important or serious impacts. For each impact, write sentences explaining why you chose it and also at least one way that a young athlete could be protected from it.
Time: allow at least 25 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links English, Health and Physical Education
VCOP ACTIVITY
Read this!
A headline on an article – or a title on your text – should capture the attention of the audience, telling them to read this now. So choosing the perfect words for a headline or title is very important.
Create three new headlines for the events that took place in this article. Remember, what you write and how you write it will set the pace for the whole text, so make sure it matches.
Read out your headlines to a partner and discuss what the article will be about based on the headline you created. Discuss the tone and mood you set in just your few, short words. Does it do the article justice? Will it capture the audience’s attention the way you hoped? Would you want to read more?
Consider how a headline or title is similar to using short, sharp sentences throughout your text. They can be just as important as complex ones. Go through the last text you wrote and highlight any short, sharp sentences that capture the audience.