Twelve-year-old Yu Zidi, the fastest pre-teens swimmer in history, clocked a stunning 4:35.53 to claim her second Chinese senior title and third ticket to the Singapore World Championships as eight days of nationals concluded in Shenzhen.

Yu, who clocked 2:06.8 in the 200m butterfly and 2:10 in the 200IM for silver behind Olympic finalist Yu Yuting earlier in the week, concluded her astonishing campaign hurling through splits that no other 12-year-old in other world is capable of getting anywhere close to, barring in their dreams.

At the pace of Petra Schneider's World record for the GDR and a speed of what would have finished fourth a fraction from the Olympic podium in Paris last year, Yu gook gold ahead of Chang Mohan, on 4:37.33 , and the 12-year-olds Hebei training partner, freestyle ace Li Bingjie, 4:38.66:

• 1:01.29; 2:11.13; 3:31.67; 4:35.53 Yu
• 1:01.62; 2:13.98; 3:32.16; 4:37.33 Chang
• 1:01.59; 2:14.17; 3:39.06; 4:38.66 Li

Who's Yu? We take as look at what we know so far:

Who’s Yu? We Take A Look As Zidi, 12, Swiftest Pre-Teen In History, Makes China’s World-Titles Team

As Yu Zidi, the 12-year-old swim sensation, heads into the 400m medley on the last day at Chinese Championships, we take a look at just how off-the-chart her speed is for one so young

State Of Swimming +Craig Lord

In the men's 400Im final, Zhejiang's Wang Shun, one of the China-23-g0-free, set a championship record of 4:10.64 (56.33; 2:00.93; 3:13.30; 4:10.64) to keep Shandong's Zhang Zhanshuo at bay by just over a second, silver gone in 4:11.86 (56.66; 2:02.90; 3:14.52). The bronze went to Xie Yichen in 4:18.73.

Another of the Zhejiang crew in championship-record form was Wu Qingfeng, on 24.18 for 50 free gold. Cheng Yujie, 24.33, and Yang Wenwen, 25.02, completed the podium.

In other finals on Day 8:

• W100m breaststroke: Tang Qianting 30.23; Yang Chang 31.07; Yu Jingyao 31.30
• M50m backstroke: Xu Jiayu 24.46, just shy of his 2023 national record of 24.38; Wang Gukailai 24.99; Wang Zicheng 25.01
• M1500 Free; Zhang Zhanshuo 15:02.62; Zhao Heting 15:05.16; Zhao Zhihao 15:08.22

RESULTS IN FULL

In other news

As WADA and its Athlete Council slam the Enhanced Games, athletes are out there offering their own condemnation. Olympic 50m free champion Cameron McEvoy, who is a former teammate and domestic rival of doping-games signee James Magnussen, called the EG a “circus”. Speaking to the Brisbane Times, McEvoy added:

“It doesn’t count in any way, shape or form when you take drugs or wear one of the banned suits, or both. It’s got no relevance to Olympic or World Championship 50-metre comps, or to the international rankings around them.”

Fellow Australian Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus, told the Jase & Lauren radio show on Nova 100:

“I was looking at it on my phone … this is a bit of a kick in the bum to any athlete who’s ever worked their whole life to train. Everyone’s obviously able to have their own opinion, but I don’t like it.”

More below...

Also in the May Vortex:

• Pan Zhanle & Li Bingie Make It Four Freestyle Titles Apiece At China Nationals
• WADA & Its Athlete Council Blast ‘Dangerous, Irresponsible’ Doping-Friendly Enhanced Games
• Qin Haiyang Makes It A Title Sweep With 2:07.5 Win in 200 Breast
• Yu Zidi - Aged 12 - 2:06.83 In 200 'Fly: The Faster Pre-Teen All-Rounder In History
• Daniel Wiffen Tops 800 As Mare Nostrum Picks Up In Barcelona
• Third Victory In Career Best For Li Bingjie - 1:55.5 In 200 Free
• Pan Zhanle Leads China's 4x200 Construction Company In 1:45.45
• Ryan Murphy To Take Break From Racing This Summer
• Andrii Govorov Waves Farewell
• Qin Haiyang Clocks First Two Sub-59s Of 2025
• Yu Yiting, 19, & Yu Zidi, 12, on 2:08 and Extraordinary 2:10 in the 200IM
• Apostolos Siskos Cracks Greek 200 Back Mark As First Under 1:55 in 2025
• Third Para World Record In As Many Days For Aussie Alexa Leary
• Doubles for Anastasia Gorbenko & Ilya Shymanovich at Monaco Mare Nostrum
• Li Bingjie The First Asian Women's Sub-Minute 400 Free in 3:59.99
• 100-200 Double for Siobhan Haughey At Mare Nostrum Opening
• Léon Marchand's Next 'Merci France!' - 2:08 Best 200 Breast Outside Title Tests
• Alexa Leary Makes It A Brace Of World Para Records in Sydney
• Léon Marchand Returns The FFN Favour - 4:07.11, His Fastest 400IM Beyond Major Title Chases
• Léon Marchand Gets French Champs Fly Past - Responds With 4:12 Cut For Singapore Worlds Ticket In Heats At Texan Trial
• Cameron McEvoy Mastery of Consistent Dash Speed Continues Apace: 21.5 & 21.7 at Sydney Open
• Pan Vs Sun* Confined To Home Pool As China Makes Its First Olympic Swim Champion Ineligible
• Simone Manuel On Growing up In Swimming: "I didn't feel like I fit in"
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• Irish Olympic Heroes Daniel Wiffen & Mona McSharry Lead Team Of 12 To Singapore Worlds
• Paraguayan Swimmer Expelled From Paris 2024 Hints At Comeback
• McIntosh's Endless Summer
• Dawn Fraser Talks Of Brush With Death In TV Interview
• Mary-Sophie Harvey High Five Includes Fourth Career Best At Giant Paris Open
• Ronan Wantenaar's Breakthrough
• Underpinning Parental Pride In Sean McCann's Progress in the Pool
• Marrit Steenbergen Sails Under 53 For Tenth Time For Giant Win In Paris
• Cameron McEvoy Sets Sights Cielo's 20.9 WR & Sees "No Reason" To Rule Out Brisbane 2032 At 39
• Mary-Sophie Harvey & Marrit Steenbergen At The Double in Paris
• Scotland's Never Too Late campaign sees 152% increase in adult swimming programmes
• Coach Matteo Giunta Defends Federica Pellegrini On "Zero Tolerance" Stance In Sinner Doping Case
• Great Britain Selects 20 For European U23 Championships 
• ASU Boss Says College Sports Revenue-Share Announcement Close
• Jordan Crooks Takes A Break From Racing
• Gary Hall Jr's Medals Back From The Flames
• Jon Rudd's Time In Ireland Is Done As He Heads Off To Lead Saudi Performance Program
• Lukas Märtens Makes It 200-400 Double With 1:44.25 Victory At German Nationals
• Gretchen Walsh Joins Sjöstrom In Club Of Sub-25 'Fly Dashers; Irish & Danish Marks For Ellen Walshe & Tomas Koski
• Katie Ledecky Sweeps To Her 2nd Career Fastest 400 Free - 3:56.8