China’s Yu Zidi Makes Asian Games History and Eyes 2028 Olympic Glory

China’s 13-year-old swimming sensation Yu Zidi has made a major impact at the Asian Games, strengthening expectations that she could become one of the sport’s leading young stars.

Yu won all three individual events she entered in Tokyo this week. Each victory came with an Asian Games record, highlighting her rapid rise despite her young age.

She won the 200m butterfly, 200m individual medley and 400m individual medley. Her performances also placed her among the fastest swimmers in the world this year.

Her 200m individual medley time was only 0.4 seconds outside the world record held by Canada’s Summer McIntosh, who could become one of Yu’s leading rivals at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Yu will be 15 when the Olympics begin. Her recent performances have already raised expectations about what she could achieve on the biggest international stage.

However, Yu has avoided making bold predictions about the Olympics. Asked about her ambitions, she said she would continue working hard.

“I gained a lot from these Asian Games but there were also some regrets,” Yu said. “I’ll go back and keep reviewing what I didn’t do well, and I hope I can do better next time.”

Her teammate Ke Wenxi, whom Yu defeated in the 400m individual medley final, praised her work ethic.

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“She hasn’t become that fast for no reason,” Ke said. She added that Yu works hard during national team training sessions.

A teenager away from the pool

Despite her success in the pool, Yu appears far less comfortable during media interviews.

She joked that interviews were harder than racing and admitted that she struggles when facing large groups of reporters.

Yu also appeared more relaxed around her teammates, particularly Ke, who is 15.

The two swimmers shared a room in Tokyo and celebrated their one-two finish in the 400m individual medley together.

Ke said their room had three beds. Two beds were pushed together to create a larger bed, while the other remained separate. She said she allowed Yu to use the larger bed because she wanted her teammate to sleep comfortably.

Balancing school and swimming

Yu began swimming after a coach discovered her talent at a water park when she was six.

Since then, she has balanced schoolwork with demanding training schedules.

She previously acknowledged the difficulty of attending school throughout the day before going to training.

Her Asian Games experience has added another demanding chapter to her young career. The path toward the 2028 Olympics could bring even greater pressure and expectations.

For now, Yu remains focused on the details of racing.

“I don’t think about anything else,” she said when asked what she thinks about before a race. “I just think about the little details and my movements.”

Her record-breaking performances in Tokyo have ensured that the young Chinese swimmer will remain one of the names to watch as the sport builds toward Los Angeles 2028.