2018 Japan Swim: Ikee Lowers Own 100 Free National Record

by Retta Race 10

April 07th, 2018 Asia, International, News, Records

2018 JAPAN SWIM (JAPANESE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS)

Already having a stellar meet here in Tokyo, 17-year-old Rikako Ikee added yet another historic performance to her 2018 Japan Swim collection. While competing on night 5 at the Tatsumi International Swim Centre, site of this summer’s Pan Pacific Championships, the Olympian lowered her own national record mark in the 100m freestyle en route to most likely taking her 3rd gold medal of the competition.

Entering this week, Ikee’s 100m freestyle fastest sat at the 53.68 clocked back in 2016 at the Asian Swimming Championships. In tonight’s semi-final, however, the teen found a new gear and, in doing so, hacked .22 off of that previous standard to check-in with a shiny new NR in 53.46. Taking into the Commonwealth Games performances from Australia, Ikee’s 53.46 now situates the thoroughbred sprinter as 6th fastest in the world this season.

2017-2018 LCM WOMEN 100 FREE

CateAUS
CAMPBELL
08/10
52.03
2Bronte
CAMPBELL
AUS52.2704/09
3Simone
MANUEL
USA52.5407/25
4Sarah
SJOESTROEM
SWE52.6708/07
5Taylor
RUCK
CAN52.7208/10
View Top 26»

Comparing her previous performance to tonight’s gold medal-garnering effort, it’s clear Ikee cranked up the speed factor heading out, bringing her opening 50 split to a super quick 25.85 to then close in 27.61.

Previous record – 26.21/27.47 = 53.68
New record – 25.85/27.61 = 53.46

Ikee took the top seed tonight well over half a second ahead of the rest of the field. She will contest the final of the 100m free, as well as the 50m butterfly as her final event of these championships.

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Bob
6 years ago

You have to think she has the potential to go sub 53 with a 24.2 50 and a 1:55.0 200… wonder if we’ll see it tomorrow. Interesting how similar her pbs in the 50 and 200 are to Ruck, the free races for 2020 should be thrilling with these two, Oleksiak hopefully back to top form, and of course some of the veterans (C1,Sjostrom etc.)

bobo gigi
Reply to  Bob
6 years ago

Weird that you put the current olympic and world gold medalist Simone Manuel in the category “etc”. 🙂
And she’s not so old. 🙂

Hswimmer
Reply to  bobo gigi
6 years ago

Simone could throw down a good 200 at some point also. She is capable of going 1:55 if she paces well. She should be 23 this summer in the 50 & 52 again in 100 maybe even 51 high.

ALEXANDER POP-OFF
6 years ago

Decent but if she’s not sub-53 or maybe 53 flat, she may not even smell an Olympic final

SchoolingFTW
Reply to  ALEXANDER POP-OFF
6 years ago

That’s the problem with Ikee: she is so good in 50/100/200 free and 50/100 fly that she may final in all of them, but none of her PBs are medal worthy.

PVSFree
Reply to  SchoolingFTW
6 years ago

She’s still very young. She’s got plenty of time to improve

DJ Boomer
Reply to  SchoolingFTW
6 years ago

at this point her 100 fly is pretty medal worthy (second only to sjostrom)

SchoolingFTW
Reply to  DJ Boomer
6 years ago

Her newly-minted PB is still slower than the times McKeon and Worrell swam last year.

Anon
6 years ago

Pretty sure the 100 free was a semi final swim, not finals

Mt Raining Rainier
Reply to  Anon
6 years ago

About Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

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