Thirteen-year-old Chinese swimming sensation Yu Zidi has continued her remarkable run at the 20th Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Japan, securing her third gold medal. This extraordinary achievement marks a significant historical milestone for both Chinese swimming and the Asian Games itself, as Zidi becomes the youngest athlete ever to claim three gold medals at a single edition of the multi-sport event.
The young prodigy, who is also a school student, earned her third gold in the highly competitive 400-meter individual medley. She delivered a stunning performance, setting a new competition record time of 4 minutes, 28.56 seconds. This victory followed her earlier triumphs in the 200-meter butterfly individual event and the 200-meter individual medley. Her exceptional swim in the 400m individual medley was particularly noteworthy, as she shattered the previous Asian Games record set by fellow Chinese swimming star Ye Shiwen in 2014 by an impressive 4.5 seconds.
These impressive gold medals are not just a testament to Yu Zidi’s current ability but also serve as crucial preparation and a significant confidence boost for the 13-year-old as she sets her sights on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Following her third gold medal win, Yu Zidi expressed her unwavering determination to further enhance her skills in pursuit of an Olympic medal. “I have made a lot of progress from this Asian Games competition, but there is also a slight disappointment,” the young Chinese athlete stated. “When I return, I will carefully review the shortcomings where I did not perform well. I sincerely hope that I will be able to perform better in the next competition.”
In the same record-breaking 400-meter individual medley event, China’s Ke Wenxi secured the silver medal, while Japan’s Mio Naritta claimed the bronze, completing the podium.
As of September 24, the Chinese athletic delegation demonstrated a dominant performance, leading the medal table with a total of 95 medals at the Asian Games. This impressive haul included 61 gold, 24 silver, and 10 bronze medals. Host nation Japan followed in second place with 72 total medals, comprising 15 gold, 25 silver, and 32 bronze. South Korea ranked third overall, having secured 9 gold, 8 silver, and 25 bronze medals.
