12-Year-Old Yu's Speed Spurs Minimum Age Debate

Swimming is a sport well-used to talented teenagers, but Yu Zidi's participation aged 12 at the World Aquatics Championships has sparked debate about how young is too young.

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The prodigious Chinese schoolgirl is not just making up the numbers at the event this week.

Yu qualified for the 200m individual medley final on July 28 and came fourth, missing out on a remarkable medal by just 0.06sec in what is not considered her strongest event.

The race was won by Canada's Summer McIntosh – she competed at the Tokyo Olympics as a 14-year-old and last summer in Paris won three golds at age 17.

Yu was at it again on July 31 in Singapore, ending fourth once more behind winner McIntosh in the 200m butterfly final.

And less than two hours later, she earned a bronze as part of China's 4x200m free relay team. Though she did not race in the final, she took part in the prelims. Yu, who turns 13 in October, will also race in the 400m medley on Aug 3.

The Chinese prodigy, who discovered swimming aged six as a way to cool off in China's roasting summers, has drawn historical comparisons to Inge Sorensen.