5 Years After Battle With Leukemia, Rikako Ikee Makes 100 Fly Olympic Semifinal

2024 PARIS SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES

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WOMEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY – PRELIMS

• World Record: 55.18 – Gretchen Walsh, USA (2024)
• World Junior Record: 56.43 – Claire Curzan, USA (2021)
• Olympic Record: 55.48 – Sarah Sjostrom, SWE (2016)
• 2021 Winning Time: 55.59 – Maggie MacNeil, CAN
• 2021 Time to Advance to Semis: 58.08

1. Zhang Yufei – People’s Republic of China (CHN) – 56.50
2. Mizuki Hirai – Japan (JPN) – 56.71
3. Torri Huske – United States of America (USA) – 56.72
4. Gretchen Walsh – United States of America (USA) – 56.75
5. Emma McKeon – Australia (AUS) – 56.79
6. Angelina Koehler – Germany (GER) – 56.90
7. Margaret Mac Neil – Canada (CAN) – 57.00
8. Alexandria Perkins – Australia (AUS) – 57.46
9. Barbora Seemanova – Czechia (CZE) – 57.50
10. Marie Wattel – France (FRA) – 57.54
11. Roos Vanotterdijk – Belgium (BEL) – 57.54
12. Louise Hansson – Sweden (SWE) – 57.57
13. Erin Gallagher – South Africa (RSA) – 57.80
14. Rikako Ikee – Japan (JPN) – 57.82
15. Tessa Giele – Netherlands (NED) – 57.89
16. Keanna Louise MacInnes – Great Britain (GBR) – 57.90

Japan’s Rikako Ikee made her first Olympic semifinal swimming after her battle with leukemia in 2019. She swam to a 57.82 in the 100 butterfly in this morning’s prelims session, the 14th fastest of the morning.

Ikee was diagnosed with leukemia in 2019, at the age of 18. In response to her diagnosis, Ikee said “I will definitely come back.”

Now, she’s back and swimming on the biggest stage in an individual race. Ikee made the Olympic final in the 100 butterfly at the 2016 Rio Olympics as she finished 6th in a 56.86. She qualified for another Olympic Games in 2020(1) in her home country of Tokyo, Japan. There she was a relay-only swimmer, competing on four of Japan’s relays.

Ikee will swim the 100 butterfly again tonight with the potential to return to the Olympic final once again. Although she was 14th this morning, she swam a 57.82 less than four-tenths off of what was 8th this morning. Ikee’s season best sits at a 57.03 that she swam in March. That time is also her fastest since her battle with leukemia. Her personal best stands at a 56.08 that she swam to win the 2018 Pan Pac Championship.