Doha, Qatar, February 13, 2024: In the absence of Hangzhou Asian Games MVPs Zhang Yufei and Qin Haiyang, the World Aquatics Championships – Doha 2024 are providing the platform for other Chinese swimmers to grab the spotlight.
One of them is Yu Yiting, who won the second world championship bronze medal of her career when finishing third in the women’s 200m individual medley behind Kate Douglass (USA) and Sydney Pickrem (Canada) at Aspire Dome on Monday.
Yu, 19 this year, had won the same colour of medal in the previous world championships at Fukuoka, Japan last July.
“I am so happy and honoured to get this medal. I think Douglass and Pickrem are the best swimmers so I wanted better timing today. In Fukuoka I got bronze, and today is bronze. I am so happy - bronze girl!” she said, in English, to OCA Media.
Asian Games MVPs Zhang, who won six gold medals at Hangzhou, and breaststroke king Qin opted to skip the world championships and focus on their training for the Paris Olympic Games. When asked why she came to Doha, Yu replied: “I want more Games in my life. Zhang Yufei’s goal is Paris, but I want to race in more competitions.”
With the World Aquatics Championships ending on February 18, this leaves only five months to the Paris Olympics, and Yu knows she must focus on her preparations for her second Olympic Games after she finished fifth in the women’s 200m individual medley in Tokyo. That means no more competitions after Doha.
“Before Paris I want more training, training with my team,” she said.
Swimming in her home province of Zhejiang last September, Yu won three gold medals and one silver at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, and is further enhancing her reputation and gaining more race experience here in Doha.
On the subject of home, Yu Yiting said her bronze medal in Doha was a gift for her family during the Chinese New Year of the Dragon celebrations.
“This Chinese New Year, my parents, my friends watch my game. I am so honoured. My parents are happy to me because I get the bronze,” said world championships “bronze girl” Yu Yiting.
But those bronze medals will soon be upgraded if she maintains her rise in the powerful China team.
