Male swimmer Yu Cheng was born in July 1983 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. He entered Hangzhou Sports School in 1990 and Zhejiang provincial swimming team in 1995.

In 2001, he won the championships in men’s 400m and 1500m freestyle at the Ninth National Games.

In 2002, he won the championship in men’s 1500m freestyle, and the runner-up in men’s 400m freestyle and 4×200 freestyle relay at the 14th Asian Games held in Busan.