2025 CHINESE NATIONAL GAMES
- Monday, November 10th – Monday, November 17th (swimming)
- Shenzhen, China
- LCM (50m)
- Prelims at 9am local (8pm previous night ET)/Finals at 7pm local (6am ET)
- Day 1 Recap
- Meet Central
- Results
- Livestream
🇨🇳第十五届全国运动会
于子迪(Yu Zidi) 2:07.41 =AR于子迪がアジア新！！！！！！！
2012年10月生まれ
先月13歳になったばかりの天才少女ユ・ズディが大偉業！！！！！！🤯🤯前記録はこちらも天才少女と呼ばれた🇨🇳叶詩文（Ye Shiwen）が13年前ロンドン五輪で記録した2:07.57だった https://t.co/x9RM3jLlNc pic.twitter.com/eBiGWlk5AV
— 競泳NEWS (@swimcoverage) November 11, 2025
Video courtesy of Swim Coverage
We were treated to one of the most impressive women’s 200m IM performances in the history of swimming tonight, as 13-year-old Yu Zidi ripped a new Chinese and Asian record of 2:07.41 to top the podium.
Yu’s time erased the longstanding record of 2:07.57 that countrywoman Ye Shiwen established as a 16-year-old en route to winning gold at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. That swim was performed after Ye already smashed a new world record of 4:28.43 in the 400m IM, all before Yu was even born.
Entering these 2025 Chinese National Games, Yu’s previous best-ever time rested at the 2:09.21 she clocked in Singapore this year. That rendered her the 4th-place finisher at just 12 years of age.
There in Singapore, Yu became the youngest swimmer ever to make a final and win a medal at a World Championships.
In addition to placing 4th across the 200m fly, 200m IM and 400m IM events, Yu grabbed bronze as a result of swimming in the prelims of the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay with the final squad ultimately placing 3rd.
Split comparisons among Yu’s previous and new personal bests, as well as Ye’s former Asian record are below. Although Yu opened up quicker in Singapore with 27.43, her backstroke leg and breaststroke leg were remarkably speedier to give her a strong advantage heading into the final freestyle piece.
| Yu Zidi‘s New Asian Record – 2:07.41 | Ye Shiwen‘s Old Asian Record – 2:07.57 | Yu Zidi‘s Previous PB – 2:09.21 |
| 27.78 | 28.25 | 27.43 |
| 32.23 (1:00.01) | 32.58 (1:00.83) | 32.92 (1:00.35) |
| 37.33 (1:37.34) | 37.42 (1:38.25) | 38.69 (1:39.04) |
| 30.07 | 29.32 | 30:17 |
Yu now checks in as the 9th-swiftest women’s 200m IM performer in history.
Top 10 Women’s LCM 200 IM Performers All-Time
- Summer McIntosh (CAN) – 2:05.70, 2025
- Katinka Hosszu (HUN) – 2:06.12, 2015
- Ariana Kukors (USA) – 2:06.15, 2009
- Kaylee McKeown (AUS) – 2:06.63, 2024
- Kate Douglass (USA) – 2:06.79, 2024
- Siobhan-Marie O’Connor (GBR) – 2:06.88, 2016
- Stephanie Rice (AUS) – 2:07.03, 2009
- Alex Walsh (USA) – 2:07.13, 2022
- Yu Zidi (CHN) – 2:07.41, 2025
- Ye Shiwen (CHN) – 2:07.57, 2012
WOMEN’S 200 IM – FINAL
- World Record – 2:05.70, Summer McIntosh (CAN), 2025
Asian Record – 2:07.57, Ye Shiwen (CHN), 2012CHN Record – 2:07.57, Ye Shiwen, 2012
GOLD – Yu Zidi, 2:07.41 *Chinese Record *Asian Record
SILVER – Yu Yiting, 2:08.30
BRONZE – Chang Mohan, 2:11.51
Incroyable
She went 1:59.49 in prelims of the 200 free (splits: 28.38/30.44/30.61/30.06) but appears to have scratched the semis. She would have qualified 8th.
She’ll probably lead off the 4×200 so we can wait for that to see her full 200 free potential
Just awesome, just have show respect!!!!
She is an absolutely adorable and extremely talented 13 year old.
What do you suppose her state sponsored training program is like?
Just watched her interview after the race. She said that she was delighted and surprised to have swum so fast. When asked what she’s improved most, she said it was her beast stroke and turns. She also said that she wasn’t really bothered by the media’s extra attention on her and she just wanted to focus on her training. Quite mature for a 13 year old.
Yes, for sure. She is wonderful for the sport of swimming and the next generation.
It is a lot less strainous than it used to be. It is guided more by technique these days.
It is still demanding because if you want to become an Olympian even in the United States private sports scene, you still need to put in a serious amount of work. You don’t become Simone Biles or Leon Marchand by training once a year. You put in a lot of work. This is still the case in China and everywhere.
However, china,s sports scene is not entirely state sponsored these days, state sponsored sports co-exists with the rapidly growing private sports scene/sports club.
The sports scene in the United States is entirety private
The sports scene in Russia is mostly… Read more »
Thanks for sharing that. Interesting how things are changing and developing around the world.
I assume, Carlo, that you are Chinese?
Thanks for the info. Are they following a normal cursus or do they have the possibily, say, to complete their study in 5 years instead of 4, or do they get an adapted schedule?
Yes, in china, they do get an adapted schedule.
Thanks and good for them. As far as I know,Zhejiang and Jiao Tong are both top 5 Chinese universities.
UK is state sponsored also
Yu Zidi and Summer are amazing but it is weird that nobody mentioned KD when it comes to 200 IM. Still 2 times world champions, Olympic medalist and the short course record holder. It would be fun if KD wants to race for it again and train for it then 200IM could be the most exciting race with her, Summer and Yu
KD is over a second slower than Summer in the 2IM and she’s said she doesn’t like it. Not really any reason to mention her.
KD doesn’t like the 200 IM and she’s over a second slower than Summer is while being like 5 years older (4 years if you’re being generous since her personal best is from 2024 and she didn’t really swim it this year)
Like, this barely 13 year old is about half a second slower than KD was at 22 lol
I said if she want to race it again and trained for it. Anyone expect she beat MOC 3 times and breaks the world records in 100 free? I guess it short course but still. that’s why I really want her to train and race 200 IM again cause she could have a chance and it will be a fun race with those 3.
You said “it’s weird no one mentioned KD”. Jeff explained why it isn’t weird. No need to get defensive.
Wasn’t get defensive at all. Just saying that’s it would be excited to have Summer vs Yu vs KD in 200 IM. Though I know the chance is low as KD hate 200 IM.
How on earth is saying it would be a fun race getting defensive lol
You know you’ve gotten them when they pull out the alt account 😭
I mean the UVA girls are demons in short course, Kate was already 45.8 in SCY in early 2023 and has gotten so much faster in long course freestyle that to be honest I’m not that surprised at how fast she went in SCM and especially not surprised that she beat MOC all 3 times.
I honestly was surprised Knowing she was good at SC but never expected she would beat both MOC and marrit steenbergen 3 times.
KD will be seeing this and noping out.
Well, one of KD’s world titles was Doha and the other one didn’t have Summer and Kaylee in the final.
kaylee went like 2:08 when she swam against them lol
Her tempo in the freestyle leg is impressive.
I’m curious what everyone was doing at 13. For me, I was learning, picking up the guitar for the first time, and dreaming of traveling the world to experience different cultures. Although some of those dreams haven’t come true yet, I still live happily every day, and watching competitive sports is thrilling.
I played Nintendo and read comic books
Some of us are still doing this…
As a product of the 80s swimming, I was swimming just as much as her. Possibly even more. But my race competitions? On a far, far, far farrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr lower level 🙂
commenting on swimswam
I spent my days wondering if you are Chinese?
As a 13 year old, we are just trying to survive 8th grade.
Her breaststroke improved a lot. I think she used to be reeled back in breaststroke and now she caught Yu Yiting!