World Championships: 12-Year-Old Yu Zidi Just Misses Podium in 200 Butterfly; But Pre-Teen Medals in 800 Freestyle Relay
For the second time in as many individual events, 12-year-old phenom Yu Zidi just missed the podium at the World Championships in Singapore. However, the Chinese youngster did earn a medal on Thursday night, thanks to China’s bronze-medal performance in the 800-meter freestyle relay. Yu contributed a leg to that relay in prelims, which grants her a piece of hardware.
With that medal, the pre-teen becomes the youngest medalist in global competition in 89 years. At the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Denmark’s Inge Sorensen earned the bronze medal in the 200 breaststroke less than a month after turning 12 years old. Yu will turn 13 until October.
As was the case in the 200 medley, Yu was charging at the finish. She covered her final 50 meters in 32.78, which was more than a second faster than the 33.93 of Dekkers. Her early deficit, however, was too much to overcome. Nonetheless, she has the 400 individual medley remaining, and a medal in that event is within reach.
China picked up the bronze medal in the 800 freestyle relay behind a time of 7:42.99. During the morning prelims, Yu handled the leadoff leg for her country, splitting 1:59.28.
