Thirteen-year-old Yu Zidi broke the Asian record in the women's 200m individual medley at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Monday, edging defending champion and compatriot Yu Yiting in one of the closest races of the swimming program.

Yu clocked 2:06.10, the second-fastest time in history behind Canadian world record holder Summer McIntosh's 2:05.70, and reclaimed an Asian record that Yu Yiting had taken from her only three months earlier. 

Swimming in lane five alongside Yu Yiting in lane four, Yu trailed by 0.14 seconds after the butterfly leg and remained behind through the backstroke and breaststroke. By the 150-meter turn, however, the gap was down to just 0.03 seconds. 

Then came the freestyle. Yu Zidi powered through the final 50 meters, closing in on the green line marking Asian-record pace before edging ahead at the finish. 

"It's the final 50 meters, so I just told myself not to hold anything back," the 13-year-old said after the race. "Give it everything. Don't think about anything. Just close my eyes and push through." 

"I was really surprised and excited," Yu said. "This is the result of all the work our team has put in." She added that her two Asian Games gold medals were "just the beginning." 

The record capped a remarkable year for the teenager. At China's 15th National Games last November in Shenzhen, Yu clocked 2:07.41 to break the Asian record of 2:07.57 set by Ye Shiwen at the 2012 London Olympics. In June, Yu Yiting set a new mark with 2:06.82. Three months later, Yu Zidi shaved off 0.72 seconds to take the record back to her name in Tokyo. 

"Yu Yiting is a very strong opponent," Yu said. "She pushes me to keep improving and keep working hard." 

Yu Yiting sees their rivalry as a way to push the event forward. "Only by constantly breaking the Asian record can we dare to think about the world record, and have a chance to challenge McIntosh and other top swimmers at the 2028 Olympics," she said. 

The teenager has also caught the attention of swimmers beyond her teammates. Siobhan Haughey of Hong Kong, China, who won the women's 200m freestyle title on Monday, called Yu Zidi "amazing" and said she could be capable of making the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics if she wanted to. 

"It's so amazing to see young swimmers swim that fast, and she's only 13, so I'm sure she still has a long way to go," she said. 

For all the attention, Yu is unmistakably 13. She enjoys playing games and calls her parents when training away from home. Before the Asian Games, she said she simply wanted people to remember that she was just a kid her age. 

In the pool, however, her approach is anything but casual. "My eyes are only on the pool," she said of her mindset before races. She also makes no secret of the work behind the results. 

"Even when I'm very tired, I have to keep training. When I feel I can't hold on, I still have to keep going," she said. 

Asked whether she had ever wanted to stop because of the fatigue, Yu immediately shook her head. 

"No. Because I think this is the time to build my foundation. If I stop now, how am I going to train later?" 

Looking back, Yu offered perhaps her simplest assessment: "Only I know how much hardship I have gone through this year. But I got through all of it." 

At 13, Yu is already making waves in world swimming, with plenty of room still to grow. 

"I hope I can keep getting better and better," she said.  

Editor：Bella Wu