Yu Zidi, a 13-year-old swimmer from China, won her second gold medal in the women's 200m individual medley at the ongoing Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, setting a new Asian Games and Asian record with a time of 2:06.10. This victory marks her second record-breaking performance in as many days, following her win in the 200m Butterfly where she clocked 2:05.08, surpassing the previous Games record of 2:05.57 set by compatriot Yufei Zhang.
Born on October 16, 2012, in Baoding, China, Zidi was first recognized for her swimming talent at the age of six. She reclaimed the 200m individual medley record from defending champion Yu Yiting, who finished second with a time of 2:07.99. Japan's Narita Mio secured third place with a time of 2:10.40.
Zidi now holds the Asian Games record, the Asian record, and is just 0.40 seconds off the world record of 2:05.70, set by Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh, whom Zidi admires. Following her recent successes, Zidi expressed her excitement, stating, "I’m happier with the second gold medal than the first," and acknowledged the competitive spirit of her teammate Yiting.
Despite her achievements, Zidi noted areas for improvement in her technique, particularly in her 200m freestyle performance, which she described as "only so-so." She aims to enhance her skills for future competitions, including a potential third individual gold in the 400m IM.
Zidi made headlines last year as the youngest-ever medallist at the World Swimming Championships and has continued to excel, winning multiple medals at the Chinese National Swimming Championships. Although she is not listed for the upcoming women's 4x200m Freestyle relay, her trajectory in the sport suggests a promising future.
Siobhan Haughey, an Olympic medallist from Hong Kong, commented on Zidi's potential, suggesting that her current performance indicates she could compete at the LA Olympics. Haughey noted a trend of young swimmers excelling in the sport, which bodes well for the future of competitive swimming.