Amid the breakdown of records and Olympic champions stacking medals, a preteen Chinese has stolen the spotlight during the World Championship Water Sports, played in Singapore.
Yu Zidi, just 12 years old, drew the world of swimming in fourth place and almost pinch a podium in the 200-meter medley final on Monday (28).
In her first participation in a world elite tournament, she finished the race with a time of 2min09s21s, just 0.06 second in the third place, Canadian Mary-Sophie Harvey.
The gold was from the three -time Canadian Olympic champion Summer McIntosh (2min06s69), who had been in the first 400 meters free, with silver for the American Alex Walsh (2min08s58).
Yu Zidi still returns to the pools for the 200-meter butterfly and 400 meter medley dispute, this Thursday (31) and Sunday (3), respectively. And with real chances of medal.
In the China National Tournament played in May, swimming with a cap adorned with the black and white drawing of a dog, she got the gold in the 200 meters butterfly, with a time of 2min06s83. Performance would guarantee the highest place on the podium at the 2024 World Cup.
She also got the gold in the 400 meters Medley in the Chinese championship, with almost two seconds advantage for the second place. The time of 4min35s53 would guarantee fourth place in the Paris Games.
In addition, Yu Zidi got silver in the 200 meters Medley in the national tournament, with a time of 2min10s63, establishing the best brand for distance at his age, regardless of gender.
“I will try to go up to the podium. But I feel that this is probably impossible. Still, I want to try. I was one step today [segunda-feira]Then I will continue to work hard, “Yu told CCTV station.
She added that she does not consider herself a pool genius. “Not really. It’s all thanks to hard training,” she said.
The prominent performance attracted the attention of the opponents, who made a series of praise to the new Swimming Prodigy.
“She is obviously phenomenally talented at such a young age, and I think it will be interesting to see how she takes advantage of this competition and translates it into future events,” said Alex Walsh.
A native of Baoding, a city located in Hebei province, Yu Zidi began to recreation at the age of six, then only as a way to cool off during high temperatures.
“It was summer, it was very hot, so I went to a water park with my father,” the young swimmer told the Xinhua news agency. “I was going to the pools to cool me (…) and then a coach saw me.”
Your life is now divided between school classes and training, while gaining public notoriety in your country, being nicknamed “steel girl” by local media.
She has been compared to her compatriot Ye Shiwen who, at 16, became the younger Chinese swimmer to win an Olympic medal in London-2012.
With international agencies
