At just 13, Chinese swimmer Yu Zidi has already made her mark on the Asian Games.
She won gold in the 200m butterfly with a record-breaking performance.
Yu touched the wall in 2 minutes 05.08 seconds, breaking the previous Asian Games record.
The record was set by compatriot Zhang Yufei nearly three years ago. She won by more than three seconds, and her reaction? Surprisingly understated.
“It was only so-so,” Yu said with a smile, admitting that her butterfly technique still needs improvement.
She added that she had cut 0.9 seconds from her previous time and hoped to swim even faster next time.
Rising Olympic Prospect
So, what comes next for the teenage sensation?
Yu is competing in two more individual events at the Games and is already being watched as a potential star at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Her rise is hardly new. Last year, at only 12, she became the youngest swimmer ever to win a World Championships medal.
She helped China secure bronze in the 4x200m freestyle relay.
For most teenagers, breaking a major sporting record would be a career-defining moment. For Yu, it seems to be just another step.
And if this is what she calls “only so-so,” the swimming world may want to watch what comes next.
