She has been training with the national team since the start of the year alongside Li Bingjie, another swimmer from Baoding, who also rose to fame as a teenager.

Li Bingjie has become something of a big sister, sharing her experience generously and helping Yu navigate the pressures of international competition.

Yu once wrote in her journal: "I hope that when I grow up, I can be like Li Bingjie — become a world and Olympic champion and know what that feeling is like. It's very tiring, but as long as I can swim, I will definitely work hard and bring glory to my country."

Following her mentors and predecessors, Yu is moving steadily toward her dream of competing at the Los Angeles Olympics.

From a child joyfully splashing around in a summer water park to a teenager breaking continental records and leaving seasoned champions in her wake, she is already carving out a lane through the choppy waters of competitive swimming.

liyingxue@chinadaily.com.cn