China swimmers Yu, Zhang among Asian Games stars who could light up LA Games

The Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya close on Sunday, bringing the curtain down on a fortnight of competition featuring some record-breaking performances.

Among the best performers were the two athletes named Asian Games MVPs: 13-year-old Chinese swimmer Yu Zidi and Thai track and field sprinter Boonson Puripol.

Yu, who won all three of her individual events with ease, said “I’m no prodigy” after being named the women’s MVP on Sunday.

The schoolgirl, who looks poised to take the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics by storm, won the 200m butterfly, 200m individual medley and 400m IM in Games-record times to underline her rare talent.

Her times were among the fastest in the world this year and she is already the youngest swimming world championships medallist in history after winning a relay bronze last year aged 12.

But for all that, she said: “I don’t think I am what people describe as a prodigy.

“I will continue to train hard, push myself and work alongside young athletes across Asia to inspire more young people to love and take part in sports, especially swimming.”

Yu will be 15 when the LA Olympics come round and is likely to be a major medal threat with the world watching.

Thailand’s Boonson, who did the 100m–200m sprint double, was named the men’s MVP.

“I’m very happy and very honoured for my family, my country, and the Asian running community,” the 20-year-old said.

Asked what he will do with his US$25,000 prize money, he said: “The money will go to my family and my self-development for goals in the future.”

The Los Angeles Games are already in his sights after breaking the Asian Games records in the two sprints.

“This time there were a lot of global athletes at this event, so the MVP gives me a lot of confidence that I can make the podium in LA,” he said.

Here are four other athletes who starred and look primed to make an impact at the LA Olympics.

Zhang Zhanshuo, swimming (China)

With Yu grabbing the headlines, Zhang went slightly under the radar.

But the 19-year-old went home with seven gold medals, the most by any swimmer in Asian Games history.

He did it with panache, too, sitting on the lane divider and slowly counting off all seven on his fingers after bringing home the last one.

Zhang scorched to the men’s 400m freestyle title in a Games-record time and also won individual titles in the 200m, 800m and 1,500m freestyle events, as well as three relays.

Shin Ohashi, swimming (Japan)

The 17-year-old said he wanted to set a world record at his home Games – and he did just that.

Ohashi, who admits to loving junk food, clocked an astonishing two minutes 04.83 seconds to slice more than half a second off the previous 200m breaststroke world record held by China’s Qin Haiyang.

The record continued Ohashi’s stunning rise and marked him out as the man to beat in Los Angeles, where he could face French superstar Leon Marchand.

Yan Ziyi, athletics (China)

The formidable Yan will just have turned only 20 when the LA Games roll around, but already the Chinese javelin thrower looks destined for the top.

She demolished the Asian Games opposition with her first and only throw of 70.46 metres, breaking the Games record. It was the sixth-best throw of all time.

Yan hurled a colossal 71.74m in May, second only to the world record of 72.28m set by the Czech Republic’s Barbora Spotakova in 2008.

Ri Song-gum, weightlifting (North Korea)

The tiny weightlifter gave North Korea an explosive start to the weightlifting campaign and next will be hunting the one honour missing from her career: an Olympic medal.

The 1.40m (4ft 7in) pocket powerhouse set three new world marks in the 49-kilogram class as she entered the record book as the only woman to clinch three successive Asian Games weightlifting golds.

She is also a double world champion and has been untouchable in her weight division since North Korea emerged from Covid exile in 2023.

North Korea weightlifters have not taken part in the past two Olympics, so Los Angeles could be the 28-year-old’s only shot at Olympic glory.