China’s 13-year-old Yu scorches to first major gold at Asian Games
Thirteen-year-old Chinese swimmer Yu Zidi set a new Asian Games record in the 200m butterfly, winning her first major gold medal. Her performance has sparked discussions regarding the physical and mental pressures placed on young athletes in high-level sports.
Why it matters
The success of such a young athlete raises ethical questions about age limits and the welfare of minors in elite international competition.
China’s 13-year-old swimmer Yu Zidi smashed the Asian Games record as she won gold in Japan on Sunday (September 20, 2026), two years out from the Los Angeles Olympics.
Yu, who turns 14 next month, romped home in the women’s 200m butterfly in 2min 05.08sec to shave almost half a second off the time set by China’s Zhang Zufei three years ago in Hangzhou of 2:05:57.
Keep track | Asian Games 2026 LIVE: Shafali Verma ton powers reigning champions India into Asian Games final
Her time in winning her first major gold medal was 3.36sec faster than China’s Chang Mohan, who took the silver.
It was the first of three individual events Yu is scheduled to compete in at the Asian Games, where swimming events are being held in Tokyo.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in