13-year-old Chinese swimming prodigy Yu Zidi cruises through heats at Asian Games

Tokyo – China’s 13-year-old prodigy Yu Zidi and Olympic champion Pan Zhanle cruised through their heats on Sunday as swimming got underway on the opening day of the Asian Games.

Yu became the youngest swimming world championships medalist in history last year when she won bronze as a 12-year-old as part of China’s 4x200-meter freestyle relay team.

She also finished a whisker outside the medals in fourth in three world individual events.

She has embellished her growing reputation this year, notably with a victory over American multiple-time Olympic champion Regan Smith in March.

She opened her Asian Games campaign at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre by breezing through her women’s 200-meter butterfly heat, qualifying for Sunday evening’s final with the fastest time in 2 minutes 7.97 seconds.

It was 2.7 seconds quicker than the second-fastest qualifier, Chinese compatriot Chang Mohan.

Yu does not turn 14 until October.

Pan was in action in the men’s 100 freestyle, the event in which he won gold and set a world record at the Paris Olympics.

He qualified in 48.07 seconds, finishing  ahead of South Korea’s Hwang Sun-woo.

“The first 50 I felt I controlled my speed and then the second 50 I was at the max,” said the 22-year-old Pan.

“I think tonight I will be better.”

Pan is looking to rebound from a disappointing world championships last year in Singapore, where he failed to make the final in either the 100 or 200 freestyle.

He said his stunning success in Paris had taken time to get used to.

“It’s such a big change year by year, especially after Paris. The change is in my training and in my life,” he said.

“I’m getting better at adjusting year by year.”

Japan’s Tomoyuki Matsushita finished fastest in the men’s 200 individual medley with a time of 1 minute, 58.56 seconds.

Japan is looking for better results in the pool after winning only five golds and finishing a distant third in the swimming medals table at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.

“This is being held in Japan and although there’s no pressure, I want to show my best to all the people here,” said Matsushita.