Swimming prodigy Yu Zidi, 13, says ‘interviews way harder than racing’

TOKYO – The 13-year-old Chinese swimmer Yu Zidi has taken the Asian Games by storm, but when it comes to the intense interest in her, she said: “Interviews are way harder than the race.”

Yu smashed the Games record in winning the women’s 200m butterfly on Sept 20 in Tokyo and then repeated the feat in the Sept 21 200m individual medley.

The schoolgirl’s 2min 6.10sec in scorching to victory in the medley was the fastest time in the world in 2026.

She was only 0.4 seconds off the world record held by Canada’s Summer McIntosh.

Yu has been the talk of swimming since becoming the youngest medallist in world championships history in 2025 with bronze for China’s relay team aged just 12.

She is shaping up to be a major medal threat at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

But out of the pool, she openly admits to struggling with what to say in front of large numbers of Chinese and international reporters eager to hear from her.

Yu, who turns 14 in October, has tried to shy away from speaking to journalists following her latest eye-popping triumphs.

When eventually coaxed into giving some remarks, she has done so hesitantly.

“How do I answer this question? Can you teach me? You just want me to say what I feel?” she said to reporters in Chinese this week.

“I don’t feel anything in particular. I run through the technical details the coach told me once in my head.

“In the last 50 metres you can’t save energy, you have to give it everything, not think about anything, close your eyes and hang on, that’s it.”

Under World Aquatics rules, the minimum age for major international championships is 14 but exceptions can be made for younger swimmers if, like Yu, they are fast enough.

Some in the swimming world have questioned the mental and physical impact of high-level training and competing at such a young age.

Yu has admitted to struggling to balance her school work with her status as the brightest young talent in swimming.

As well as international news headlines, her two golds so far this week at the Asian Games have caused a sensation back home.

Her back story, such as being spotted by chance by a swimming coach at a water park, and her struggle with interviews, have gone viral.

Asked if answering questions was the hardest part, she replied with a giggle: “Every time I just want to float off somewhere else.” AFP