0.06 seconds and the shocking debut of 12-year-old 'prodigy' Yu Zidi

Yu Zidi is creating a fever at the 2025 World Swimming Championships.

Only 0.06 seconds - too fragile a gap for a 12-year-old girl to step onto the podium to receive a medal at the 2025 World Swimming Championships. However, with what Yu Zidi showed, the world of swimming had to bow before a rare talent.

A 2 minute 09.21 second performance in the 200 meter individual medley final at the 2025 World Swimming Championships in Singapore not only placed Yu in the elite group of female swimmers, but also made a strong statement: a new phenomenon had just emerged.

Phenomenon unprecedented in nearly 100 years

Historically, few people have made it to the world stage before the age of 15. Shane Gould (1972), Katie Ledecky and Ruta Meilutyte (2012) all won Olympic gold medals at the age of 15. Michael Phelps also only reached the Olympic arena at that age.

So the fact that Yu, a 12-year-old girl, reached the final of the World Swimming Championships and missed out on a medal by a few hundredths of a second is truly extraordinary. The event brings to mind the year 1936, when Inge Sorensen (Denmark) won an Olympic bronze medal at the age of 12 - a record that seemed forever past.

And now, Yu Zidi not only recreates Sorensen's image, but also opens up a new perspective: a swimming "machine" with unprecedented speed and endurance at this age.

Born in Baoding, Hebei, Yu started swimming at the age of 6. Just 4 years later, she qualified as a national first-class athlete and was selected to attend the Taihua Jinye training center - where China's top swimmers train.

There, Yu trained alongside Olympic champion Li Bingjie and two other national team athletes. “She was an Olympic champion, and I was just in lane zero, which made me nervous,” Yu once recalled.

Not only talented, Yu also stands out for her discipline and rigorous training volume. Every day, she swims 10 km in the lake, at least 6 times a week, combined with high-altitude training.

Those numbers are enough to make many professional swimmers admire. At the age of 11, Yu's achievements are equal to or surpass many British youth champions, and are even capable of competing for an Olympic spot if competing in another country.

Yu Zidi's performance was amazing.

Her outstanding talent earned her the nickname “Xiaohaijie” – “big girl”. But behind that cute name lies a lot of pressure. “I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to swim well and would disappoint everyone,” Yu admitted.

That pressure made Yu want to quit before the world championship qualifiers in April. “I didn’t want to train anymore. But with the encouragement of my coach, doctor, and parents, I remembered why I started and realized I couldn’t stop,” Yu said.

This is an issue that experts are particularly concerned about. How can we protect a gem like Yu from being eroded by premature achievements? A sports expert who has worked with many champions warns: “With young talent like Yu, the most important thing is long-term development. There must be a reasonable roadmap for the body and mind to reach their peak at the age of 20-26, and we cannot rush things.”

A "shot" for the new generation

It is worth noting that Yu is not relying on just one single achievement. After missing out on a medal in the 200m medley by 0.06 seconds, she is still confident in her other events: the 200m butterfly and the 400m medley.

“I will try my best to get on the podium. I missed a step today, so I will try harder,” Yu said.

Yu's opponent, Alex Walsh (23 years old, USA) - who won silver - did not hesitate to praise: "This girl is so excellent. I am very curious to see how she will develop from this experience."

At the moment, Yu is not old enough to set a world youth record (FINA only recognizes from 14 years old), but if she maintains her form, she can break a series of milestones when she turns 14.

At only 12 years old, Yu Zidi has had impressive milestones in his career.

Yu Zidi's initial success is not only a source of pride for China, but also raises a big question: How to nurture a special talent without losing the innocence and joy of sports? In elite sports, the pursuit of glory too early sometimes leaves athletes exhausted at a very young age - cases like Ye Shiwen are a wake-up call.

For Yu Zidi to become a future world or Olympic champion, the key is not to push for quick results, but to maintain the love and endurance for the long-term journey. With the right guidance, Yu could very well become a combination of Phelps's all-around ability and Ledecky's explosiveness - but all that is just potential.

At an age when many girls are still playing with dolls, Yu Zidi swam alongside the world’s best swimmers and almost won a medal. Although she was too young to be recognized for her records, she was already being talked about as a phenomenon by the entire swimming community.

The Singapore World Championships are just the beginning. If Yu continues to keep her spirit and stay focused, we could be witnessing the beginning of a new legend. And perhaps, in a few years, the name Yu Zidi will not only be “the shocking 12-year-old girl” but will be a symbol of a new generation of swimmers – bold, brave and talented.

Source: https://znews.vn/0-06-giay-va-cu-chao-san-gay-soc-cua-than-dong-12-tuoi-yu-zidi-post1571958.html