Three races, three golds and three Games records.
China’s 13-year-old swimming sensation Yu Zidi completed a remarkable Asian Games campaign on September 23, winning the women’s 400m individual medley and securing her third individual gold medal of the competition.
Yu touched the wall in 4 minutes 28.56 seconds at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, setting another Asian Games record and finishing comfortably ahead of the rest of the field. The victory completed a perfect three-event sweep for one of the youngest stars of the Games.
Yu Leads From the Start
There was little uncertainty about the result once the final began.
Yu established the lead early and maintained control through all four swimming disciplines before finishing 3.95 seconds ahead of Chinese teammate Ke Wenxi, who claimed silver. Japan’s Mio Narita finished third.
Her winning time also demolished the previous Asian Games record of 4:32.97, set by China’s Ye Shiwen in 2014.
Even more impressively, Yu finished only 0.13 seconds outside Ye’s Asian record of 4:28.43.
Three Events, Three Gold Medals
The 400m individual medley completed an extraordinary sequence for Yu.
She began her campaign by winning the women’s 200m butterfly in 2:05.08, breaking the Games record in that event.
Yu followed that performance with victory in the 200m individual medley, producing a time of 2:06.10. That swim didn’t simply establish another Games record. It also lowered the Asian record and set a world junior record.
Her 400m victory meant she finished the competition with three individual races, three gold medals and three Asian Games records.
A Remarkable Performance at 13
Yu’s age makes her performances particularly striking.
At only 13, she is already competing against established international swimmers and producing times that place her among the fastest athletes in the world.
Her 4:28.56 in the 400m individual medley was the fourth-fastest time recorded worldwide this year at the time of the race. Only Canadian world record holder Summer McIntosh had produced faster performances during the season.
Success Started Before the Asian Games
Yu was already attracting international attention before arriving at the Asian Games.
At age 12, she became the youngest medalist in World Aquatics Championships history when she earned bronze as part of China’s relay squad.
She also came extremely close to individual medals at those championships, finishing fourth in three separate events.
Her performances since then have shown how quickly she continues to develop.
Yu Still Sees Room to Improve
Despite leaving the Asian Games undefeated in her individual events, Yu wasn’t entirely satisfied.
After completing her final race, she said she had gained plenty from the competition but still had areas she wanted to review and improve.
That response reflected the unusual position she now occupies. Yu may still be one of the youngest swimmers at major international competitions, but her performances are already being measured against the world’s elite.
Attention Turns Toward Los Angeles
Yu’s Asian Games campaign has inevitably increased interest in what she could achieve at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
She will still be only 15 when those Games begin.
For now, though, her first Asian Games has already produced an extraordinary result: three individual events, three gold medals and a new Games record every time she entered the pool.
