Overview

• Yu Zidi shaved 0.41 seconds off her personal best in the semifinals, recording a time of 2’10"22 to secure a spot in the final.
• In the final, she further lowered her time to 2’09"21 but finished fourth by just six hundredths of a second from the bronze medal.
• Despite being two years below the standard minimum age of 14, she competes under World Aquatics rules after meeting elite qualifying times.
• Coaches Michael Bohl and Li Chao have lauded her exceptional strength, race sense, and concentration at just 12 years old.
• She will also compete in the 400 m individual medley and 200 m butterfly events and is widely regarded as a future contender for the 2028 Olympics.