12-year-old Yu makes history with world swimming medal
Yu swam in the heats of the women's 4x200m freestyle relay but missed Thursday's final as China claimed bronze behind Australia and the United States in Singapore.
Yu, who was competing in the women's 200m butterfly final on Thursday – finishing fourth – received a medal as a member of the Chinese relay team.
"It feels quite emotional, it's a nice feeling," she said.
Yu has turned heads with her performances in Singapore.
She qualified for Monday's 200m individual medley final and finished fourth, missing out on a medal by just 0.06sec in what is not considered her strongest event.
She followed that up with another fourth in the 200m butterfly final and will also compete in the 400m individual medley.
Yu, who turns 13 in October, discovered swimming at age six as a way to cool off during China's roasting summers.
She has drawn historical comparisons to Denmark's Inge Sorensen, who at 12 was the youngest-ever winner of an Olympic swimming medal with bronze at the Berlin Games of 1936.
But not everyone thinks Yu should be competing in Singapore.
Some in the sport have raised questions about the mental and physical impacts of high-level training and competing at an age when she is still developing as a person.
Under current World Aquatics rules, the minimum age is 14 but younger swimmers can compete at the championships if – like Yu – they are fast enough.--AFP
Others Jul 31, 2025 @ 1:59am
Too much too young?: Swimming's dilemma over 12-year-old schoolgirl
Others Jul 30, 2025 @ 8:49am
Swimming to look at age rules after 12-year-old makes waves
Others Jul 28, 2025 @ 10:11am
Rivals laud 'phenomenally talented' 12-year-old swim sensation
Others Jul 29, 2025 @ 12:18am
I'm no genius, says 12-year-old Zidi after just missing podium at worlds
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
44 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
Prosecutors seek trial for PSG's Hakimi over rape charge
NANTERRE, France: French prosecutors on Friday called for Paris Saint-Germain star Achraf Hakimi to face trial for the alleged rape of a woman in 2023 which the Moroccan international denies. The Nanterre prosecutor's office told AFP that they had requested that the investigating judge refer the rape charge to a criminal court. "It is now up to the investigating magistrate to make a decision within the framework of his order," the prosecutor's office told AFP in a statement. Hakimi, 26, played a major role in PSG's run to their first Champions League title, the full-back scoring the opener in the 5-0 rout of Inter Milan in the final in May. Hakimi, who helped Morocco to their historic progress to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup, was charged in March, 2023 with raping a 24-year-old woman. Hakimi allegedly paid for his accuser to travel to his home on 25 Feb, 2023, in the Paris suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt while his wife and children were away on holiday. The woman went to a police station following the encounter alleging rape and was questioned by police. Although the woman refused to make a formal accusation, prosecutors decided to press charges against the player. She told police at the time that she had met Hakimi in January 2023 on Instagram. On the night in question she said she had travelled to his house in a taxi paid for by Hakimi. She told police Hakimi had started kissing her and making non-consensual sexual advances, before raping her, a police source told AFP at the time. She said she managed to break free to text a friend who came to pick her up. Contacted by AFP after Friday's development Hakimi's lawyer Fanny Colin described the call by prosecutors for a trial as "incomprehensible and senseless in light of the case's elements." "We, along with Achraf Hakimi, remain as calm as we were at the start of the proceedings. "If these requisitions were to be followed, we would obviously pursue all avenues of appeal," she continued. According to Colin, her client had "been the target of an attempted extortion." "Nothing in this case suggests an attempted extortion," Rachel-Flore Pardo, the lawyer representing the woman, said. "My client welcomes this news with immense relief," she told AFP. "We will not tolerate any smear or destabilisation campaign, as is unfortunately still too often the case for women who have the courage to report the rape of which they are victims," she added. The son of a cleaning lady and a street vendor, both Moroccans who have lived in Spain since the 1980s, Hakimi was born in Getafe, a southern suburb of Madrid. Hakimi came through the youth system at Real Madrid before joining Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund in 2018. He went on to make 73 appearances for the German club. He moved to Inter Milan in 2020 and then on to PSG in 2021 where he has established himself as an integral part of the team. In Qatar, Hakimi was a cornerstone of the Morocco team that became the first African or Arab nation to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup.--AFP
The Sun
44 minutes ago
- The Sun
Olympic legends Phelps, Lochte critique US swimming team's world championship showing
OLYMPIC swimming champions Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte have publicly criticised the US team's performance at the World Championships in Singapore through provocative social media posts. The decorated athletes shared imagery depicting a funeral for American swimming dominance, sparking debate about the team's current standards. Lochte, a 12-time Olympic medallist, posted an Instagram image showing a tombstone inscribed with 'In loving memory of United States Swimming 1980-2025' accompanied by the caption: 'Call it a funeral or call it a fresh start. We've got 3 years.' Phelps, the most decorated Olympian in history with 28 medals, reposted the image with the comment: 'Is this the wake up call USA swimming needed? Let's find out...' The symbolic criticism comes as the US team faced unexpected challenges in Singapore, including an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis that affected most swimmers during their pre-championship training camp. Despite these setbacks, the American squad remained competitive, tying Australia with five gold medals and leading the overall medal count with 20 through seven days of competition. Kate Douglass, who won gold in the 200m breaststroke, acknowledged the team's difficulties while highlighting their resilience. 'We've done a great job of coming back and showing that we are here to race,' she said after her victory. The championships serve as crucial preparation for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, adding significance to the team's performance and the veterans' critique. - AFP
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Kenya football ticket shortage sparks government protest fears
AS Kenya gears up to co-host the African Nations Championship (CHAN) this weekend, football fans are struggling to secure tickets for the opening match against the Democratic Republic of Congo. Many suspect the government is deliberately filling the stadium with supporters to prevent anti-government chants. Kenya has faced months of deadly protests over economic hardship and police brutality, with demonstrators frequently chanting 'Ruto Must Go' and 'Wantam' (meaning 'one term'). Some believe the government is now controlling ticket distribution to avoid a repeat of March's football match against Gabon, where anti-Ruto slogans echoed through the stands. Nicholas Musonye, head of the local organising committee, told AFP that tickets sold out quickly due to high demand. However, a Kenyan sports journalist, speaking anonymously, disputed this claim. 'We haven't found any fan who managed to buy a ticket,' he said, suggesting the government had purchased them in bulk to distribute to loyalists. PropesaTV, an online outlet critical of President William Ruto, alleged that over half the tickets were bought by authorities and given to supporters from Kibera, a Nairobi slum with fewer protest activities. A Kibera resident confirmed seeing officials registering people in exchange for match tickets. Kariuki Ngunjiri, a youth leader in Ruto's party, denied the allegations, stating, 'Tickets are available online.' Yet, AFP found no available tickets for Kenya's match, while Tanzania's opening game against Burkina Faso still had seats for sale. Hussein Mohammed, president of the Kenyan Football Federation, said ticketing was managed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), which did not respond to AFP's request for comment. Last week, Musonye warned parliament that ongoing protests could disrupt the tournament's safety. - AFP
