Japanese fisherman Rikako Ikee went into Asian history when he became the first woman to be voted the best athlete of Asia, after winning 6 gold medals on the green track at ASIAD 2018.
Rikako Ikee’s achievements include Gold medals at 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 100m butterfly, 50m butterfly, 4x100m relay (teammate), 4x100m free (teammate). In addition, 18-year-old Japanese fishermen also won 2 silver medals in the 4x200m relay and 4x200m freestyle.
With 6 gold medals and 2 silver medals, Ikee is the athlete who won the most gold medals at ASIAD 2018, as well as the first swimmer to win 6 gold medals at an ASIAD period.
In the Asian Games history, Ikee is only inferior to So Gin Man (North Korea), who has won seven gold and 1 silver medals in shooting at the 1982 convention in New Delhi, India.
The title of the best athlete in Asia started in 1998 and the first person to be named athlete Koji Ito, who won the gold medal in both men’s 100m and 200m runs.
Next is Kosuke Kitajima (swimming, 2002), Park Tae-hwan (swimming, 2006), Lin Dan (badminton, 2010), and Kosuke Hagino (swimming, 2014). All are male athletes.
We had to go to ASIAD 2018, it was the first time to see a female athlete honored in this category. Winning 6 gold medals, breaking 4 highly deserved ASIAD and Ikee records to be voted the best athlete in Asia.
Besides, Ikee’s victory once again confirmed the dominance of swimming since this title was awarded. She is the fourth swimming athlete to be honored, after Kosuke Kitajima (2002), Park Tae Hwan (2006), and Kosuke Hagino (2014).
Raja Randhir Singh, the chairman of the committee selected the best athlete, talked about Ikee in awe: “Some athletes have special performances in Jakarta and Palembang, but Rikako Ikee’s performance is the most outstanding and made a strong impression on the voting council. On behalf of OCA, I want to congratulate Ikee for her record achievement.”
It is known that Rikako Ikee is a gold face targeted for the Tokyo Olympic 2022 in Japan for the next 4 years. Ikee emerged as one of the best swimming talents in the land of the rising sun in recent years
Three years ago, at the 2015 World Youth Championship in Singapore, Ikee won two gold medals in 50m butterfly and 100m butterfly content. A year later, she won 4 gold medals in the Asian Championship, and 3 bronze medals in the World Championship. Before attending ASIAD, she won gold in the Pan Pacific Championship that took place at Tokyo’s home ground.
This year 18-year-old, Ikee promises to be a new “queen” on the green track in Asia and can fully reach world domination in the field of 100m butterfly and 50m butterfly.
With the achievement of winning the best ASIAD athletes in 2018, Rikako Ikke was awarded 50 thousand USD and medal.