Chinese 12-year-old swimmer Yu Zidi makes her debut on world stage — and doesn’t disappoint
SINGAPORE (AP) — The globe got its first look on Sunday at 12-year-old Chinese prodigy swimmer Yu Zidi, making her debut at the swimming world championships.
She did not disappoint on the opening day of the eight-day competition in the pool in Singapore.
Yu, who has been swimming astounding times in China, clocked 2 minutes, 11.90 seconds in the 200-meter individual medley to advance to the semifinals. Her time was the 15th fastest of the 16 qualifiers.
Her time was a bit off her season-best time of 2:10.63.
Yu will swim three events in Singapore including the 400 IM and the 200 butterfly. The 200 IM is probably her weakest event.
Her times in the butterfly and 200 IM in the recent Chinese championships are among the best in the world this season. Her best times in those two events would have been good for fourth place last year in the Paris Olympics.
World Aquatics, the governing body of world swimming, has an age limit of 14. However, swimmers are allowed to compete if they are younger if their times surpass a qualifying standard.
Yu wore a black cap and a gray suit and did not speak after the race.
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