A 12-year-old Chinese swimmer, Yu Zidi, surprised everyone at this year’s World Aquatics Championships in Singapore. She won a bronze medal, got fourth place in three big races, and became famous worldwide.
International news called her “amazing” and a “very special young swimmer.” One newspaper said her swimming times were “stunning.” Another said she was “only 0.06 seconds from winning a medal.” In China, people online called her “Kid Sister” because she excited everyone at the swimming center. Her name was the top topic on Weibo.
Yu first swam the 200-meter Individual Medley. She came fourth, only 0.06 seconds behind the third-place swimmer. Later, in the 400-meter Individual Medley, she finished fourth again. Then she swam the 200-meter Butterfly. Starting slowly, she moved up from eighth place to fourth, setting her best time ever. She was just 0.31 seconds from a medal. “I didn’t think about winning,” Yu said after the race. “I just wanted to do my best. I felt nervous but excited racing against top swimmers. The result was great—better than I expected.”
People are amazed because Yu is so young. An Australian newspaper pointed out that an experienced Australian swimmer was in the Olympics before Yu was born. A US sports website asked “Who is Yu Zidi?” They said that while young swimmers sometimes show up, Yu is special because at just 12, she’s already racing the world’s best.
Her story started in an unusual way. “I began swimming around age six because summer was very hot,” she said. “My dad took me to a water park. A coach saw me there and said I should train. I just kept swimming.” She loves the feeling of doing well and enjoys the sport. “The hardest times are when you’re close to your goal. You have to keep trying,” she shared. She dreams of wearing China’s team suit and racing for her country, and this dream keeps her going. This young student has shown she is a star for the future.”
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