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China's Yu, 13, great for swimming says multiple Olympic medallist / Photo: © AFP
China's Yu, 13, great for swimming says multiple Olympic medallist
China's 13-year-old sensation Yu Zidi is "exciting for the swimming world" and part of the sport's trend towards younger athletes, Hong Kong's multiple Olympic medallist Siobhan Haughey said on Monday.
Yu scorched to Asian Games gold on the opening day in the pool in Tokyo, winning the women's 200m butterfly in a Games-record time of 2min 05.85sec.
It was the first major title of her young career, less than two years out from the Los Angeles Olympics.
Yu is following in the footsteps of Summer McIntosh, who made Canada's team for the Tokyo Olympics as a 14-year-old in 2021, finishing fourth in the 400m freestyle.
Haughey, a four-time Olympic medallist, said it is part of a wider trend in swimming.
"I think the general consensus is we have more and more great young swimmers swimming well," said Haughey, now a relative veteran at 28.
"When Summer first started she was also very young and swimming fast, so I think that's kind of the trend these days.
"Hopefully, swimming well that young, you can also translate to as you get older and well into your 20s and beyond, so it's exciting for the swimming world," she added.
Yu became the youngest swimming world championships medallist in history last year when she won bronze as a 12-year-old as part of China's 4x200m freestyle relay team.
She also finished just outside the medals in fourth in three world individual events.
Haughey said the evidence suggests that Yu is "definitely capable of going to the LA Olympics".
"I think she's doing well under pressure at big meets," she said.
"I think if she wants to do it, she definitely can."
Haughey became the first Hong Kong swimmer to win an Olympic medal when she picked up two silvers at the Tokyo Games.
She is looking to add to the two Asian Games golds she won in 2023 in Hangzhou this week in Tokyo.
She said watching young swimmers like Yu gives her extra motivation.
"On one hand it makes me feel I'm twice their age, but I'm still here, so that says something," she said.
"I think being an older swimmer means I have a lot more experience, and I try to use that experience to my advantage, for instance like how to handle pressure or what to expect at a big meet.
"It's so great that there are a lot of younger swimmers because you want the sport to keep moving forward and to keep evolving," she added.
Z.Phillips--SFF
