SWIMMING SENSATION 13-YEAR-OLD YU ZIDI WINS GOLD IN 200M

TOKYO, SEPTEMBER 21 /SRNA/ - Thirteen-year-old Chinese swimming sensation Yu Zidi has shone again at the Asian Games pool, winning the gold medal in the 200m individual medley in an impressive time of two minutes and 6.10 seconds.

With this result at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, Yu broke the Asian record /two minutes and 6.82 seconds/ held by runner-up Yu Yiting and finished just four-tenths of a second behind the world record /two minutes and 5.70 seconds/ set by 20-year-old Canadian Summer McIntosh.

"I am very excited and happy. This success shows the hard work of our team," Yu said, after winning the 200m butterfly yesterday.

She added that she was happier with her second gold medal than with her first.

Although she has become the fastest competitor in Asia in the individual medley at just 13, Yu's meteoric rise is prompting questions about how strong she will be at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

That could set up a major showdown in Los Angeles against McIntosh, who won gold in both individual medley events - the 200m and 400m - at the Paris Games.

At the age of 12, Yu became the youngest medal winner at a world championship, taking bronze as part of China’s 4x200m freestyle relay team in Singapore.

Her success on the world stage at such a young age has raised concerns among child-protection experts, but Hong Kong swimmer Siobhan Haughey believes Yu is ready for the Olympic Games.