Overview

• Twelve-year-old Zidi Yu captured bronze in the 4×200 m freestyle relay at the Singapore World Championships, matching Inge Sorensen’s 1936 age record
• She missed a second podium finish in the 200 m individual medley by just six hundredths of a second
• Medical experts warn that early elite competition can cause anxiety, sleep problems, eating disorders or sport aversion without robust emotional and educational support
• Reports detail Zidi’s rigorous routine of up to 15 km of swimming daily and hypoxia-chamber recovery sessions, fueling concerns over training loads for young athletes
• World Aquatics has pledged to review its minimum age requirements and consider clearer limits on training volume alongside enhanced welfare protocols