Dhaka, July 28 -- 12-year-old Yu Zidi made her international debut in style on Sunday, racing alongside the world's best at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore.

A primary school student from northern China, Yu is the youngest swimmer in the entire field - and already one of the most talked-about.

In the women's 200m individual medley, the opening event of swimming competition, she finished sixth in her heat and advanced to the semifinals as the 15th-fastest swimmer overall.

But Yu's story is far more than just her age. It's her extraordinary speed that's turning heads.

Earlier this year, she clocked 2:10.63 in the 200m IM - the fastest time ever recorded by a 12-year-old - to win silver at the Chinese national champions...