Teen Prodigy Yu Zidi Rips Asian Record in 200 IM; Scares Summer McIntosh’s World Record
Make it two titles in as many events for Chinese teenage phenom Yu Zidi at the Asian Games, with her latest effort producing the second-fastest time in history in the 200-meter individual medley.
Coming off a victory in the 200 butterfly on the opening night of action, the 13-year-old Yu delivered a stunning performance en route to the gold medal in the 200 IM on Monday night. Expected to duel with countrywoman Yu Yiting, the Asian record-holder heading into the final, the younger Yu instead raced against the clock and made a run at Summer McIntosh’s world record in the event.
Yu covered her four laps in 2:06.10, the No. 2 mark in history and not far off the world record of McIntosh, which sits at 2:05.70. In addition to breaking Yu Yiting’s Asian record of 2:06.82, the teen star bettered the 2:06.12 of Katinka Hosszu from the 2015 World Championships. Hosszu’s time was the world record until McIntosh came along and has now been bumped to the No. 3 performance of all-time.
Yu attacked the race from the get go, splitting 26.91 for the opening butterfly leg. That start had Yu under the world-record pace of McIntosh (27.19) for the first 50 meters. The Chinese standout split 31.96 on the backstroke, a leg that put her at 58.87 at the midway point of the race, but behind McIntosh’s world-record checkpoint of 57.99. On the breaststroke, Yu split 37.04 to bring her with .16 of McIntosh’s 1:35.75 pace. The last length was covered by Yu in 30.19, compared to the closing 29.95 of the Canadian standout.
Yu Zidi Splits: 26.91-31.96-37.04-30.19 (Asian Record)
Summer McIntosh Splits: 27.19-30.80-37.76-29.95 (World Record)
Since arriving as a much-hyped pre-teen, Yu has lived up to the massive expectations thrust on her shoulders, and has now moved into territory visited only by McIntosh, the multi-time Olympic champion and world-record holder. A duel at next year’s World Championships in Budapest will be one of the most-anticipated events on the schedule. Meanwhile, Yu still has the 400 individual medley to come at the Asian Games.
The silver medal in Tokyo went to Yi Yiting in 2:07.99 while Japan’s Mio Narita was the bronze medalist in 2:10.40.