Rikako Ikee’s Path to Paris Olympics Glory and the Reasons Behind Her Medal Hopes

“Starting July 27th, the Paris Olympics will kick off. Following the Tokyo Olympics, which saw a record 58 medals, this year’s Games also promise a host of events where medals are highly anticipated. We conducted in-depth interviews with legends to highlight the key points of these exciting competitions. Let’s revel in the medal rush of Japan’s athletes!”

Rikako Ikee (24)

Women’s 100m Butterfly Qualifying: July 27, 18:00 (NHK General → E-TV)
　　　　　　　　 　 Final: July 29, 3:40 (TBA)
Women’s 4×100m Medley Relay Qualifying: August 3, 18:00 (TBA)
　　　　　　　　      Final: August 5, 2:26 (NHK General)

“Overcoming illness and securing a spot in the Olympics for an individual event is an extraordinary achievement in itself. I hope she aims for a personal best and swims with determination.”

This praise for her junior’s accomplishment comes from Yayoi Matsumoto, who was a teammate with Ikue in the women’s 4×100m relay at the Rio Olympics.

“Ikee is very skilled at focusing on reaching the finals. I remember when we competed in the same race, she said she was ‘at her limit’ in the preliminaries, but she managed to cut her time by nearly two seconds in the finals. She has been training with strong competitors in Australia up until just before the competition, so her mindset should be positive.”

While she herself says her goal is to advance to the finals, it’s clear that she is also aiming for more beyond that. 

Tomoru Honda (22)

Men’s 200m Butterfly Preliminary: July 30 at 18:00 (TBD) 
Final: August 1 at 3:36 (NHK General)

Tomoru Honda’s greatest strength, as demonstrated by his silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics, is his “final 50 meters push.”

“He has maintained his strength in the last segment while working on overall speed enhancement. His rival, Kristóf Milak (24), is returning from a period of poor form and rest. If Honda can showcase his strengths, there’s a chance he could win the gold medal.” (Takuro Fujii, a silver medalist in the men’s 400m relay at the London Olympics)

The path to the top for Honda is clearly in sight.

Satomi Suzuki (33)

Women’s 100m Breaststroke Preliminary: July 28 at 18:00 (TBD) 
　　　　　　　 Final: July 30 at 4:25 (TBD) 
Women’s 200m Breaststroke Preliminary: July 31 at 18:00 (Nippon TV) 
　　　　　　　 Final: August 2 at 4:04 (TBD)

In March of this year, Suzuki set a new personal best, and Takuro Fujii has high expectations for her.

“It’s rare for a swimmer to consistently train in the same environment, and this has worked to her advantage. Her veteran experience will likely shine through, making her a strong contender in the medal race.”

Driven by her disappointment from missing the Tokyo Olympics, Suzuki’s comeback begins now.

Yui Ohashi (28)

Women’s 200m Individual Medley Preliminary: August 2 at 18:00 (TBD)
　　　　　　　　　　 Final: August 4 at 4:01 (NHK General)  

“She has prepared with determination, including high-altitude training in Spain. Ohashi herself has called this her culmination. I hope she finishes the competition without regrets.” (Matsumoto)

Since the Tokyo Olympics, she has struggled without setting new records. She aims to give her all on the big stage.

From the August 9, 2024 issue of FRIDAY