Feature: Yu Zidi, 12-year-old swimming sensation's journey from water park to world stage

by sportswriters Zhou Xin, Gao Meng

SHENZHEN, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Yu Zidi, a 12-year-old swimming prodigy from China, has captured the attention of audiences at the Chinese National Swimming Championships, held from May 17-24 in Shenzhen, as well as swimming enthusiasts worldwide.

Known for her distinctive swimming cap featuring a cartoon dog, Yu has already secured two "A" cut qualifying spots for the upcoming World Aquatics Championships in Singapore this July in the 200-meter butterfly and 200-meter individual medley events. She is set to compete in the challenging 400-meter individual medley on May 24 in hopes of earning a third qualification.

"I have no idea what it's like to compete abroad. I really want to experience the world-class competition, especially since I started training with my idol, Olympic and world champion Li Bingjie, at the beginning of this year. She has opened the door to a broader and faster swimming world for me," Yu remarked.

On May 18, Yu achieved a personal best of two minutes, 10.63 seconds to earn silver in the women's 200-meter individual medley, finishing just behind champion Yu Yiting. Both swimmers surpassed the "A" cut standard of 2:12.83 for the World Championships.

In the women's 200-meter butterfly final, Yu clocked an impressive 2:06.83 to secure her place in Singapore. "My lungs were about to explode! I didn't know my time; I just focused on my pace, stroke by stroke," she recounted.

"12-year-old sensation alert!" the sport's world governing body World Aquatics wrote in a social media post, describing Yu's 2:10.63 in the women's 200m individual medley a "blazing" time and confirmed it "the fastest time ever by a 12-year-old."

Born on October 6, 2012, Yu first encountered swimming at a water amusement park when she was six.

"The summer was too hot, and my dad took me to the water park. I enjoyed the coolness of the water and spent a lot of time in different small pools for kids. One day, a coach approached me and asked if I wanted to swim faster. I then joined a daily swimming class for kids for the rest of the summer," Yu recalled with a smile.

"I thought I would quit swimming once I started primary school since I initially swam just to beat the heat. However, I have continued to swim and now gain a sense of achievement," said the sixth-grade primary school student.

Yu is often compared to Olympic champion Ye Shiwen, who won two gold medals in the 200 and 400-meter individual medleys at the 2012 London Olympics, and Zhang Yufei, the 200-meter butterfly gold medalist at the Tokyo Olympics.

"They are role models for all young swimmers. However, I have my closer idol, Li Bingjie, who trains with me every day," Yu noted. "Both Li and I come from the same hometown of Baoding. I have known her story for a long time and have put in 200% effort to train with her since I joined her elite training group. It is a great pleasure and an opportunity to learn from her."

Though training with Li made her nervous at first, Yu now sees her as an elder sister in daily life. "She explains the training regimen patiently when I struggle to understand it and shares her competition experiences, which are very helpful and inspiring," Yu described.

Yu also finds joy in the sport's challenges. "Medley events, which require four different strokes and abilities, are considered the hardest in swimming, particularly the 400-meter individual medley. However, to me, it feels like tasting various cuisines. It's fun to think about delicious food while training for the most challenging medley events."

"Honestly, I do not like any events outright due to their exhausting nature. But since I am not competitive in sprint events, I have to choose the 400-meter individual medley and 200-meter butterfly as my favorites. My age is currently an advantage, and I hope to grow and develop more strengths in the future," Yu explained.

"When I feel tired during training, I encourage myself by imagining how cool it would be to compete internationally in a swimsuit adorned with the national flag and my doggy cap. This thought recharges me with energy," Yu laughed.

Swimming, however, has not come without its hardships. Yu faced difficulties balancing training and academics last year. "I almost gave up swimming before the national championships last year due to exhaustion from training and studies. Fortunately, thanks to my coaches, teammates, friends and parents, I realized swimming is an integral part of my life, and I cannot give it up."

Affectionately nicknamed "Little Sister," Yu believes that "the most difficult times are often when we are closest to achieving our goals."

"I keep reminding myself that hard work will surely yield good results," Yu concluded. Enditem