China’s teenage swimming sensation Yu Zidi emerges as star to watch for LA 2028

TOKYO, September 24 - Chinese 13-year-old swimming prodigy Yu Zidi has made her presence felt at the Asian Games and is poised to make waves at the upcoming Los Angeles Olympics. At just 13, Yu has won all three of her individual races in Tokyo with Asian Games records - a testament to her exceptional talent. In her spare time, she remains a typical teenager, joking around with teammates and expressing reluctance in interviews.

At 15, Yu will be competing in the LA Olympics in 2028 and is expected to be a top medal contender. Her teammate Ke Wenxi praised Yu's dedication to training, noting that he had witnessed her hard work firsthand. Yu also claimed the 200m butterfly and 200m individual medley races in Tokyo, with her times among the fastest in the world this year.

Her 200m medley swim was just 0.4 seconds shy of the current world record, held by Canada's Summer McIntosh, who is expected to be Yu's primary rival at the LA Games. Yu has remained tight-lipped about her Olympic ambitions, stating that her focus is on continued hard work. She reflected on her Asian Games experience as both a challenge and a learning opportunity, vowing to identify areas for improvement.

Despite her young age, Yu has expressed some discomfort with interviews, admitting that they are more challenging than the races themselves. She acknowledged that competing in Tokyo had been far from easy. The 15-year-old Ke Wenxi shared a room with Yu in Tokyo, and the duo shared a close bond, with Yu sleeping on the bigger bed to ensure a more comfortable resting place.