Who is Yu Zidi? All about the youngest swimmer at World Aquatics Championships 2025 who qualified for 200m IM final

Twelve-year-old Yu Zidi has taken the swimming world by storm. The Chinese prodigy is the youngest athlete at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships, where she has already made headlines by qualifying for the women’s 200m individual medley final.

Yu first caught national attention last year when she missed qualifying for the Paris Olympics by just two seconds. Now, barely a year later, she’s making her international debut on swimming’s biggest stage. Representing China’s national team, Yu is competing in the 200m butterfly, 200m individual medley, and 400m individual medley events at the championships from July 27 to August 3.

In the 200m IM semifinals, Yu posted a personal best of 2:10.22 to qualify for the final in seventh place, finishing just ahead of her teammate Yu Yiting. She’ll face a world-class field in the final, including Canada’s Summer McIntosh, who led the semis with 2:07.39, and American star Alex Walsh.

Yu is set to race again on July 30 in the 200m butterfly and on August 3 in the 400m IM, where she will once again face McIntosh. The Canadian has already clocked one of the fastest 200m butterfly times this year, 2:02.26, at national trials in March.

While World Aquatics enforces a minimum age of 14 for senior-level competition, Yu’s performances have earned her a special exemption. Swimmers under 14 can compete if they meet qualifying time standards, and Yu’s results left no room for debate.

Yu Zidi’s family and hometown

Yu Zidi was born in October 2012 in Baoding, Hebei Province, China.

When did Yu Zidi take up the sport?

Yu’s swimming journey began when her father took her to a water park at around six years old. A coach noticed her swimming ability, which marked the beginning of her formal training.

Yu Zidi's education and training

Yu Zidi is a sixth-grade primary school student. She trains in Hengshui City at the Hebei Taihua Jinye Swimming Club, successfully balancing her academics and rigorous swimming schedule.

“My age is currently an advantage, and I hope to grow and develop more strength in the future. I have no idea what it’s like to compete abroad. I really want to experience world-class competition,” she told China’s official Xinhua News Agency.

Other Achievements of Yu Zidi

Yu’s breakthrough came at the 2025 Chinese National Championships, where she won gold in the 400m IM (4:35.53) and 200m butterfly (2:06.83), ranking among the top five in the world this year. In the 200m IM, she claimed silver in 2:10.63, becoming the fastest 12-year-old ever in that event.

Notably, her 400m IM time is 15 seconds faster than what Summer McIntosh swam at the same age. These standout performances earned her a spot at the World Championships.