Asian Games: China’s 13-year-old Yu Zidi cruises as swimming begins

Inquirer.net - Sep 20, 2026

TOKYO–China’s 13-year-old prodigy Yu Zidi and Olympic champion Pan Zhanle cruised through their heats Sunday as swimming got underway on the opening day of the Asian Games 2026. Yu became the youngest swimming world championships medalist in history last year when she won bronze as a 12-year-old as part of China’s 4x200m freestyle relay team.

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China swim sensation, 13, sets Games record after Japan win early

NAGOYA, Japan — The 13-year-old Chinese swimmer Yu Zidi set an Asian Games record as she scorched to gold on Sunday's first full day of competition, after hosts Japan celebrated early success. The first gold medal of the 20th edition of the two-week multisport extravaganza went to Japan's Takumi Hojo in the men's individual triathlon. In the evening it was over to Yu as the schoolgirl who turns 14 next month took the women's 200m butterfly crown in a Games-record 2min 05.08sec. It was the first major title of her young career, less than two years out from the Los Angeles Olympics. "It was only so-so," a smiling Yu said after receiving her medal, warning she can go faster yet. Yu became the youngest medalist in swimming world championships history last year when she took home relay bronze aged 12. Swimming is one of three sports at the Games taking place in Tokyo, where a typhoon is due to blow in, with the rest of the Games unfolding in Nagoya and Aichi prefecture. China are expected to be the preeminent power in the pool and they showed why on day one as they clinched six of the seven titles on the night. - 'Beautiful' - The Games were declared open on Saturday by Emperor Naruhito, but there were a large number of empty seats at the 30,000-capacity stadium in Nagoya. It sounded the starting pistol on a fortnight of intense action as the continent's finest athletes compete in more than 40 sports before the curtain comes down on October 4. The Games has 2028 Olympics places up for grabs but has been dogged by a series of problems in the build-up. Accommodating the more than 11,000 athletes and 6,000 officials has stretched organizers to the limit after they decided not to have a traditional athletes' village to save money. Competitors instead are staying in a combination of temporary container-style huts, hotels and on the Costa Serena cruise ship. IOC president Kirsty Coventry called the temporary huts "beautiful" on Sunday after having a look round -- but conceded they were "a little tighter" than similar accommodation at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics this year. - Typhoon threat - Japanese organizers will be desperate for the sport to take over from a troubled lead-in that included complaints about the accommodation and a shortage of rooms. However, an incoming typhoon that soaked Tokyo on Sunday could cause more problems. The Tokyo venue hosting equestrian was closed because of the weather. The competition is now due to start on Tuesday, a day later than originally planned. Olympic Council of Asia director general Husain Al-Musallam said the typhoon threat was part of the reason why there were thousands of empty seats at the opening ceremony. The full force of Typhoon Dujuan won't be felt until Monday, with Tokyo expected to be hit with strong winds and heavy rain. Nagoya won't be in the storm's immediate path but wet weather is forecast there too.