Japan’s Swimming Federation honored its best of the best at the annual Aquatics Awards ceremony tonight in Tokyo. Recognizing its elite athletes for performances throughout the 2018 season, the federation bestowed is top prize of Swimmer of the Year to teenage powerhouse Rikako Ikee.
With the 18-year-old’s stunning performances in Jakarta last year, Ikee became the Asian Games’ first-ever female MVP. At that competition, Ikee collected 6 gold medals, the first Japanese athlete ever to do so. At last year’s Pan Pacs, Ikee also earned 4 medals, including a big-time 100m butterfly individual gold.
Currently training in Australia under Michael Bohl for a few weeks, of her award Ikee said remotely, “I am grateful that I was selected as Japan’s top swimmer. I would like to work as hard as I can this year so I can grow further.” (The Japan Times)
On the list of ‘outstanding swimmers’ recognized at the ceremony were Kosuke Hagino, newly-minted SCM 200 fly World Record holder Daiya Seto, Yui Ohashi, Ryosuke Irie and Ippei Watanabe.
23-year-old Pan Pacs double gold medalist Ohashi stated, “I was given the MVP award last year and selected for the outstanding award this year. I’m so honored.”
Hagino, who just put down some impressive performances in Hanama Bay, said of his 2019 competitive season, “The Olympics are next year, so this year will be extremely important.
“I wasn’t able to fully compete in 2017 and 2018, so I want to compete more in 2019. And by focusing on every single competition, I believe it will lead to (positive results) in 2020, so I’ll do my best.”
Of note, Japanese gold medalists at this year’s World Championships in Gwangju, Korean earn automatic berths for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Rikako Ikee has recently been diagnosed with leukemia. This shock news has been widely reported.
Ohashi is actually a better swimmer than Ikee. Ikee just gets more media attention, perhaps because she is a teenager.
Totally agree.