Too Young? Participation of 12-Year-Old Yu Zidi at World Championships Sparks Debate
The way Yu Zidi performed at the World Championships belied her age. The Chinese youngster, just a 12-year-old, finished fourth in three events in Singapore – the 200-meter butterfly, 200 individual medley and 400 individual medley. Yu proved she belonged at the global meet, as she excelled with a trio of personal-best times while racing against the premier swimmers in the world.
Typically, an athlete must be 14 years old to compete in a World Aquatics competition. But because Yu hit the A qualifying standard in her events, she was eligible for the World Champs. Still, there is debate over whether Yu should have been allowed to compete in Singapore. Specifically, some individuals have questioned whether participating was healthy for a pre-teen.
“Twelve years old is incredibly young in swimming,” said Linda Flanagan, an author and journalist who has written frequently on the topic of children in sports. “A 12-year-old does not train like an 18- or 20-year-old because their bodies aren’t equipped to handle the work involved.And also emotionally, it’s not in their best interest. It flies in the face of what psychologists say about what’s healthy for kids, which is not to put all your eggs in one basket, to spread your interests so you don’t become this narrow person.”
The sport of swimming has long been known for the emergence of young female talents. American Amanda Beard was just 14 when she won three medals at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. At the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Japan’s Kyoko Iwasaki captured the gold medal in the 200 breaststroke.
For Great Britain, Sharron Davies represented the British National Team as an 11-year-old and she was a 1976 Olympian in Montreal at the age of 13, swimming the 200 backstroke. With firsthand experience to rely on, Davies didn’t see a problem with Yu competing at the World Championships.
“It is a total misconception that (Yu) would have been extremely nervous,” Davies said in an interview with Reuters. “It would have been the opposite. “(When) I made (the 1976) Olympic Games, I was just on cloud nine. There was nothing for me to lose and everything to gain. And it would have been the same for her. She had nothing to lose and everything to gain.”
