SINGAPORE, Aug 4 — At just 12 years old, China’s Yu Zidi delivered a remarkable debut at the World Aquatics Championships, reaching three individual finals and securing a relay medal—an eye-catching performance that stood out at a meet filled with record-breaking moments and fierce competition.
SINGAPORE, Aug 4 — At just 12 years old, China’s Yu Zidi delivered a remarkable debut at the World Aquatics Championships, reaching three individual finals and securing a relay medal—an eye-catching performance that stood out at a meet filled with record-breaking moments and fierce competition.
The eight-day event, which wrapped up Sunday in Singapore, saw three world records and 15 championship records broken. As the first major long-course meet ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, it highlighted the ongoing dominance of the United States and Australia, while also shining a spotlight on the rapid rise of emerging young talents like Yu.
Yu became the youngest swimmer ever to earn a world championship medal, taking bronze in the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay after contributing in the heats. Though she didn’t swim in the final, her performance was instrumental in the team’s success.
Her individual results were equally impressive. She narrowly missed the podium in three events — the 200m butterfly, 200m individual medley, and 400m individual medley — finishing fourth in each while competing against seasoned swimmers more than twice her age.
“Competing against swimmers I’ve only seen on TV was such a valuable experience,” Yu said. “I learned a lot. I really admire Summer McIntosh’s turns and want to study her technique. She’s a role model for me, and I hope to reach her level one day.”
Top swimmers, including Romania’s David Popovici and American star Gretchen Walsh, praised Yu’s performance as a glimpse into the future of competitive swimming.
Yu’s emergence was a highlight for a youthful Chinese team that finished third in the medal table, collecting two golds, six silvers, and six bronzes—behind only the United States and Australia.
Qin Haiyang, who had swept the breaststroke events at the 2023 Fukuoka Worlds but fell short in Paris, bounced back with wins in the men’s 100m and 200m breaststroke. Li Bingjie claimed silver in the 200m and 400m freestyle, notably defeating US great Katie Ledecky in the latter. Tang Qianting secured medals in both women’s breaststroke sprints, while rising names like Wan Letian, Wu Qingfeng, and Cheng Yujie contributed to China’s strong showing, including in relay events.
“This marks the first international meet of the new Olympic cycle,” said China’s head coach Cui Dengrong. “We’re focusing on nurturing young athletes and coaches, and gauging our current position globally.”
The United States once again topped the medal standings with nine golds, 11 silvers, and nine bronzes, followed by Australia with eight golds, six silvers, and six bronzes.
Ledecky, 28, earned her seventh world title in the 800m freestyle and sixth in the 1,500m, while Walsh claimed both the 50m and 100m butterfly. Luca Urlando delivered a rare men’s butterfly gold for the US in the 200m. The Americans also broke world records in the women’s 4x100m medley relay and the mixed 4x100m freestyle relay.
Australia’s strength in sprints and relays was on full display. Kaylee McKeown swept the women’s backstroke events, Mollie O’Callaghan won the 200m freestyle, and Cameron McEvoy took gold in the men’s 50m freestyle. The Aussies triumphed in three of the eight relay events, showcasing impressive squad depth.
Fifteen countries and regions claimed gold across the 42 events. Canada and France each secured four titles.
Canada’s 18-year-old phenom Summer McIntosh led all swimmers with four golds—in the 200m and 400m IM, 200m butterfly, and 400m freestyle—and also earned bronze in the 800m. Her win in the 200m butterfly set a championship record, just 0.18 seconds shy of the world record.
France’s Leon Marchand broke the world record in the men’s 200m individual medley (1:52.69) and added gold in the 400m IM. Teammate Maxime Grousset claimed victories in the men’s 50m and 100m butterfly.
Romania’s David Popovici continued his freestyle reign with golds in the 100m and 200m, clocking 46.51 in the 100m—just shy of Pan Zhanle’s world mark (46.40). Tunisia’s Ahmed Hafnaoui swept the men’s 800m and 1,500m freestyle events. — Bernama/Xinhua
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