29-06-2025
Sources: Swimmer Ikee plans to retire after 2028 LA Olympics
Sources say Japanese swimming star Ikee Rikako plans to retire from competition after the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The 24-year-old, who was once forced to step away from the pool due to a leukemia diagnosis, has competed at three consecutive Summer Games.
Ikee made her Olympic debut at the age of 16 in Rio de Janeiro. She came in fifth in the women's 100-meter butterfly.
At the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, she became the first Japanese swimmer to win six gold medals in a single competition.
But the following February, she was diagnosed with leukemia and spent about 10 months battling the disease in a hospital.
She returned to competitive swimming in August 2020 and qualified for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
After her third Olympic appearance in Paris last year, Ikee announced on social media that her leukemia had gone into complete remission.
She has repeatedly said the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics will be the culmination of her career. If she qualifies, it would be her fourth Summer Games.
Ikee will captain the national team at the world championships, which start in Singapore next month.
