Yu Zidi wins Asian Games gold and sets record in 200m butterfly

At the 2026 Asian Games in Tokyo, 13-year-old Chinese swimmer Yu Zidi delivered a standout performance by winning gold in the women’s 200m butterfly. She set a new Games record with a time of 2:05.08, surpassing the previous record of 2:05.57 held by compatriot Zhang Yufei. Yu’s victory was part of a dominant opening day for the Chinese swimming team, which secured multiple gold medals, including a win in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay and a gold for Pan Zhanle in the men’s 100m freestyle.

In addition to Yu’s swimming success, Chinese athlete Tong Xin won the gold medal in the women’s Tai Chi fist and sword all-around event. The swimming competition, held at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, highlighted the emergence of young talent, with Yu Zidi being noted as a significant prospect for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.