First man to kitesurf across the Taiwan Strait
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Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
A world championship medalist at 12 years old? Meet Chinese swimming prodigy Yu Zidi
At age 12, surrounded by seasoned veterans, Summer McIntosh swam the 400-meter individual medley at the 2019 Canadian Trials in an eye-opening time of 4 minutes, 50.21 seconds. Yu Zidi just eclipsed that time by more than 16 seconds. At age 12, competing at a prestigious junior meet in Toronto, McIntosh swam the 200 IM in a speedy 2:20.84. Yu just outclassed that time by more than 11 seconds. Those staggering comparisons to McIntosh, who won three gold medals at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, help put into perspective how insanely fast China's 12-year-old swimming prodigy already is. Not only is Yu achieving feats no other pre-teen girl ever has, she is holding her own against the world's best swimmers before she's even old enough to complete middle school. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Yu became the youngest swimmer ever to medal at the World Aquatics Championships last Thursday in Singapore when she helped China take bronze in the 4x200-meter freestyle relay. While Yu did not swim in the final, she qualified for a medal after swimming the first leg in the prelims earlier in the day. Remarkably, Yu's medal-winning effort in the relay wasn't her most jaw-dropping achievement of her week in Singapore. Yu, who won't turn 13 until October, also took fourth place in three individual events, missing the podium by 0.06 seconds in the women's 200-meter IM on Monday, by 0.31 seconds in the women's 200-meter butterfly on Thursday and by 0.50 seconds in the women's 400-meter IM on Sunday. Swimming that fast on a global stage transformed Yu from a Chinese star to a global curiosity. Media outlets hailed Yu as the heir to McIntosh, the 18-year-old Canadian sensation who took four golds and a bronze in Singapore. Accomplished swimmers from around the world heaped praise on the Chinese preteen known for her signature cartoon dog swim cap. 'Her 12-year-old times are much faster than mine at that age,' Romanian freestyle star David Popovici told China Daily. "Everyone is a bit scared of her,' celebrated Japanese swimmer Rikako Ikee told Chinese state media. In a recent feature story published by China's state-run news agency, Yu revealed that she only began swimming at age 6. Her family took her to a water park that summer to help her endure the heat in her hometown of Baoding about 100 miles south of Beijing. 'I enjoyed the coolness of the water and spent a lot of time in different small pools for kids,' Yu said. 'One day, a coach approached me and asked if I wanted to swim faster. I then joined a daily swimming class for kids for the rest of the summer.' What started as a hobby soon became more than that. A lot more. Yu first hit the headlines last year when she missed out on an Olympic qualifying time for Paris by only two seconds as an 11-year-old. Then at China's national championships in May, Yu took second place in the 200-meter IM in 2:10.63, the fastest time ever recorded in the discipline by a 12-year-old, male or female. World Aquatics rules require an athlete to be at least 14 years old to compete at a global championship, but there's a caveat. Swimmers who meet the A qualification standard in an event are granted access to the competition regardless of their age. That's how Yu secured an invitation to Singapore. That's how she earned the chance to cement herself as swimming's next big thing. Will Yu continue her climb to the top of her sport as the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles approach? That seems likely but not guaranteed. Swimming careers seldom follow linear trajectories. Plenty of teen phenoms have plateaued or even burnt out before their 20th birthdays. In the story by Chinese state-run news agency, Yu acknowledged she too has struggled to balance training and academics. "I almost gave up swimming before the national championships last year due to exhaustion from training and studies,' she said. 'Fortunately, thanks to my coaches, teammates, friends and parents, I realized swimming is an integral part of my life, and I cannot give it up." What is clear is that at age 12, Yu is already among the best in the world. McIntosh was 14 at her first Olympics. Katie Ledecky was 15. Yu is ascending at an even more unfathomable rate.
Travel Weekly
3 hours ago
- Travel Weekly
Disney's big Singapore ship is a big opportunity
Disney Cruise Line's expansion to a new region will not only expose new consumers to the cruise experience but to the Disney brand itself, CEO Bob Iger said during Disney's fiscal Q3 earnings call Wednesday. The Disney Adventure, Disney's largest cruise ship yet, will begin sailing from Singapore in December. At full occupancy, the ship is expected to accommodate between 6,000 and 7,000 guests. In comparison, Disney's Wish-class ships have a capacity for about 4,000 passengers. "This will give us an opportunity to float the Disney brand in all of its glory into a region that we think has a huge Disney brand affinity," Iger said. In addition to the Adventure, the Disney Destiny (Disney's third Wish-class ship), will debut in November in Fort Lauderdale. The newest ship currently sailing, Disney Treasure, has "gotten off to a strong start and continues to perform well," Disney wrote in prepared executive remarks Wednesday. The Treasure began sailing last December. "Forward bookings look great, and we're running at very high occupancies," CFO Hugh Johnston said. Disney Cruise Line is about half booked for 2026, he said, and the percentage is even higher for its newer ships. Domestic park spending rises Disney Cruise Line is part of the Disney Experiences division, along with the theme parks, hotels, Disney Vacation Club, the Adventures by Disney tour operator and consumer products. The segment performed well in the quarter with operating income up 13%, to $2.5 billion. Domestic operating income soared 22%, to $1.7 billion, driven by growth at theme parks, resorts and Disney Cruise Line. Disney attributed the bump to guests spending more at its parks as well as an increase in passenger cruise days from the Treasure. It also includes a $40 million benefit from the Easter holiday, which fell in the third fiscal quarter this year. Disney Experiences had higher costs, including about $30 million in pre-opening expenses related to the Destiny and Treasure ships. Another $50 million in pre-opening cruise costs is expected in the fourth fiscal quarter. Disney's theme parks, especially its domestic parks, are performing well. Executives pointed to two anniversaries and their accompanying in-park celebrations: Disneyland's 70th and Hong Kong Disneyland's 20th. Johnston said Walt Disney World compiled record revenue in its fiscal Q3. Asked if Disney's guest mix for domestic parks has been impacted by international visitation to the U.S. or the opening of Universal Orlando's Epic Universe in May, Johnston said there was "nothing material going on there." Disneyland Paris is also performing strongly, according to Johnston. Next year, a new World of Frozen land will open there. Disney has faced some headwinds in China, the CFO said, mainly because of reduced guest spending, not attendance.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Authentic Firmly Denies Rumors It's Selling Reebok to China's Anta Sports
Authentic Brands Group is hitting back on rumors that its Reebok brand is up for sale. In a memo obtained by FN, Steve Robaire, executive vice president of Reebok and Champion at Authentic, denied the rumors to brand partners on Tuesday. 'Authentic is not selling Reebok to Anta. This claim is completely false,' he wrote. More from WWD Sofia Richie Grainge Upgrades Her Go-to Reebok Sneakers in Green and Passion Pink Champion Unfurls 'Champions for Champion' Campaign and Exclusive Target Collection Angel Reese's Reebok 'MeBounds' Shoe for WNBA All-Star Game Has a Special Meaning The executive added that 'Authentic has no plans to divest Reebok — now or ever.' 'In our 16 years of brand ownership, we have never sold a brand,' Robaire noted. 'We remain fully committed to the brand's growth and global success.' The memo was the result of rumors swirling on Tuesday that Authentic was close to selling Reebok to Chinese sportswear giant Anta Sports. Some reports claimed that the deal had already been finalized. With roots dating back 130 years, Reebok was officially launched in 1958. Adidas acquired Reebok in 2006 for $3.8 billion and laid out a turnaround plan for the brand in 2016. The plan was meant to lay 'the foundation to unleash its full potential in the highly attractive global sporting goods market.' Years later, Adidas announced it would sell the brand in December 2020 as a part of the company's 2025 'Own the Game' strategy meant to boost sales and market share. Adidas made the decision to focus more deeply on the Adidas Brand and divest Reebok. When Authentic acquired Reebok in 2022 for $2.5 billion, chief executive officer Jamie Salter outlined a goal for the brand to hit $10 billion in annual retail sales globally by the next five years. Authentic also planned to grow Reebok's digital business, as well as lean into the footwear and apparel designs that have made Reebok unique. Shortly after the deal closed, the company announced multiple plans for licensing and distributing Reebok across the globe. More recently, Authentic Brands Group found new partners for its Reebok operations in the U.S., Europe and the U.K. after a period of reshuffling. As reported by FN in January, Authentic has now confirmed that Galaxy Universal has taken over Reebok's footwear operations, retail stores and e-commerce, as well as leading Reebok's global product creation, design and sourcing. In addition, a new joint venture between Galaxy and Batra Group, dubbed GB Brands Europe Limited, will oversee the brand's operations across Europe and the U.K. This new venture takes over for New Guards Group (NGG), a division of Farfetch, which previously distributed Reebok footwear and apparel in Europe. Best of WWD All the Retailers That Nike Left and Then Went Back Mikey Madison's Elegant Red Carpet Shoe Style [PHOTOS] Julia Fox's Sleekest and Boldest Shoe Looks Over the Years [Photos] Sign in to access your portfolio
