A 13-year-old Chinese schoolgirl set an Asian Games swimming record, winning gold

At only 13 years old, the Chinese Yu Zidi became the champion of the Asian Games. The swimmer competing in the women’s 200m butterfly final broke the Games record, finishing in 2:05.08, more than three seconds ahead of runner-up Chang Mohan.

The teenager, who turns 14 next month, shaved almost half a second off the previous Asian Games mark set by compatriot Zhang Yufei three years ago. Still, for someone who had just won his first major individual title, Yu’s assessment of the performance was laughable.

“It was just like that,” she said after accepting her gold medal.

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Yu Zidi (Photo Reuters)

THE KINDERGARTEN MAKES HISTORY

Yu’s triumph at the Asian Games comes less than two years before the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where she could find herself on swimming’s biggest stage.

She is already knocking on the door of the sports elite. With a time of 2:05.08 in the 200m butterfly, she is less than four seconds behind Canada’s Summer McIntosh’s world record of 2:01.65. For a swimmer who was just 13 years old, the gap offers a glimpse of how much room there might still be for improvement.

Yu has already made history on the world stage. At the 2025 World Championships, she became the youngest medalist in swimming history after winning bronze as part of the Chinese relay team at the age of 12.

However, her Asian Games gold is different. This was her first major individual title and she delivered it with a Games record.

CHINESE TEENAGE SWIMMING SENSATIONAL

Yu’s rise also comes at a time when Chinese swimming is strengthening its position as a major force in the pool. China won six of the seven swimming gold medals on the first night of competition at the Asian Games, with Yu providing one of the standout performances.

But the teenager is not content to simply be a part of this success.

“I hope to swim even faster,” Yu said. “I improved my time by 0.9 seconds and I believe I will do better next time.

Her ambitions are already clear. Yu said she wants to reach the Olympic podium and eventually stand on its top step.

“I train hard day in and day out. Success never comes overnight,” she said.

Yu is still a schoolgirl who will not be 14 until October. But after an Asian Games gold and a new Games record, the swimming world has another reason to remember her name.

– The end

Issued by:

Kingshuk Kusari

Published on:

21 Sep 2026 11:55 IST