Skip to Main Content

Road To The Olympic Games

Aquatics

Japan swim star Rikako Ikee to race at Olympic qualifier after leukemia treatment

Japanese swimmer Rikako Ikee will compete in Olympic qualifiers in April after clinching a podium finish Saturday in her first 100-metre butterfly event since being treated for leukemia.

20-year-old placed 3rd in 100-metre butterfly at Tokyo Open on Saturday

Thomson Reuters ·
Swimmer Rikako Ikee will compete at the Japan Swim meet in April, the country's lone qualifying event for the Tokyo Olympics this summer. The 20-year-old returned to competition in August after being treated for leukemia. (Issei Kato/Reuters/File)

Japanese swimmer Rikako Ikee will compete in Olympic qualifiers in April after clinching a podium finish in her first 100-metre butterfly event since being treated for leukemia.

Ikee, who was diagnosed in February 2019 and returned to action in August last year, finished in 59.44 seconds to win bronze at the Tokyo Open on Saturday.

WATCH | Rikako Ikee honoured by fellow swimmers:

Medallists show support for swimmer battling leukemia

Sports

2 years ago
0:30
Gold medallist Maggie Mac Neil of Canada and the 2 other medallists of the women's 100m butterfly pay tribute to Rikako Ikee of Japan who revealed her leukemia diagnosis earlier this year. 0:30

The 20-year-old will now compete at the Japan Swim meet, the country's only Olympic qualifying event before the Tokyo Games, which was rescheduled to July 23.

The Japanese Swimming Federation's Olympic qualifying bar stands at 57.10, while Rio 2016 finalist Ikee's national record is 56.08.

"I can't say that I'm aiming for it now," Ikee said. "When we start to get results that are world-class, we will think about it at that time."

Ikee also won the 50 butterfly, a non-Olympic event, with a time of 25.77.

WATCH | Ikee considered Japan's next swimming superstar:

Rikako Ikee: Japan's next swimming superstar

Sports

3 years ago
1:09
18-year-old swimming phenom Rikako Ikee has been making waves in the swimming universe since she was fifteen. Competing in the 50, 100 and 200 metre freestyle events, she is a name to look out for ahead of Tokyo 2020. 1:09
CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices|About CBC Sports

Related Stories

Add some “good” to your morning and evening.

A variety of newsletters you'll love, delivered straight to you.

Sign up now

Comments

To encourage thoughtful and respectful conversations, first and last names will appear with each submission to CBC/Radio-Canada's online communities (except in children and youth-oriented communities). Pseudonyms will no longer be permitted.

By submitting a comment, you accept that CBC has the right to reproduce and publish that comment in whole or in part, in any manner CBC chooses. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Comments are welcome while open. We reserve the right to close comments at any time.

now