Female swimmer Yang Yu was born in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province on February 6, 1985. She was selected to Zhejiang provincial swimming team in 1996 and the national swimming team in 1999.

In 1999, she won the championships in women’s 200m freestyle and 4×200m freestyle relay at the Fourth National Intercity Games.

In May 2001, she won the first place in women’s 200m freestyle and 4×100m freestyle relay at the Third East Asian Games.

In April 2002, she won the championship in women’s 4×200m freestyle relay, and the runners-up in women’s 200m freestyle and 200m butterfly at the Sixth World Short Course Swimming Championships. She also bagged the gold medals in women’s 200m freestyle, 4×100m freestyle relay, and 4×200m freestyle relay at the 14th Asian Games in Busan the same year.

In 2003, she won the gold medal in women’s 4×100m medley relay at the 10th World Aquatics Championships.

In 2004, she clinched the first place in women’s 200m butterfly at the World Short Course Championships, and the second place in women’s 4×200m freestyle relay at the 28th Olympic Games in Athens.

In 2005, she won the second place in women’s 200m freestyle at the 11th FINA  World Championships.

In 2006, she bagged the first place in women’s 200m freestyle at the Eighth FINA Short Course World Championships. She become the champion in women’s 4×100m freestyle relay and 4×200m freestyle relay, and the runner-up in women’s 200m freestyle at the Doha Asian Games.