Rikako Ikee & Kousuke Hagino Scoop! Famous athletes “hot spring trip to Hakone” alone together in their favorite car!

What are they headed for after taking over driving?

It was on a weekend in early February that I witnessed a passionate performance by Olympians that was as good as the Milan Cortina Olympics.

A car, shimmering in the sun and in gold medal colors, entered a convenience store in Tokyo. Getting out of the driver’s seat was Rikako Ikee, 25, a heroine in the swimming world, who exudes an aura that is as strong as the flamboyant car.

Next to her, a stout man dressed in a reddish-brown paisley jacket and purple sneakers, another unique color scheme, was driving alongside her. He is swimming legend Kousuke Hagino, 31, who won the gold medal in the 400m individual medley at the 2004 Rio Olympics.

The two men chatted and laughed as they deftly bought snacks, drinks, and other items. They were probably preparing for the drive ahead. Hagino jumped into the driver’s seat with an air of familiarity, and Ikee took the passenger seat. The gold medal car made a quiet start.

Two top athletes, the pride of the Japanese swimming world. We thought they were heading to a training facility, but the Gold Medal Car was headed from the Metropolitan Expressway to the Tomei Expressway, taking a break at the Ebina Service Area, and then – what?　Are they heading for Hakone?

Actually, these two have been in a serious relationship since last fall. On this day, they took advantage of a short break and went on a hot spring trip to Hakone in Ikee’s car.

Ikee is training hard day after day for the Los Angeles Olympics, and Hagino is traveling around the country as a commentator and teaching swimming lessons. On this day, Ikee trained in the morning and Hagino joined her after a live radio broadcast,” said an acquaintance of Hagino’s.

It seems that they spent their time together in a warm hot spring instead of a swimming pool ……. Perhaps she enjoyed the trip so much that on February 11, Ikegoe updated her Instagram page and posted her memories of the trip.

From the post, it seems that she stayed at a 4-star ryokan (Japanese inn) famous for its private rooms with open-air baths. The music that accompanied the post was the love ballad “Snowman” by the famous Australian singer Sia. The lyrics in the chorus, “No matter what the season, you are the place I return to,” may have represented Ikee’s feelings for Hagino.

Ikee had a practice session coming up at the end of the week, so it must have literally been a bullet trip. Even so, I think she was able to relax a little.

The Kickoff of Love

Speaking of Ikee and Hagino, their tearful hug at the ’24 Paris Olympics was memorable. Ikegoe, who was recovering from leukemia, won her first individual event at the Olympics in two years.

However, after losing in the semifinals, she broke down in tears at the poolside. Hagino, who was there as a reporter to cover the event, gently hugged Ikegae after the interview and congratulated her on a job well done (second photo).

The two first met in 2004, when Ikee qualified for the Rio Olympics. Ikee had admired Hagino since that time, and when Hagino uploaded a “creepy shot” on Instagram showing off his shoe collection with a smug look on his face, Ikee teased him by posting a photo of the same composition.

Before the Tokyo Olympics, Hagino once encouraged Ikegae by sending her a shout out, “Let’s win a gold medal together. They seemed like a close brother and sister to everyone around them,” said an official of the swimming association.

Their relationship changed last June. Ikee had been training in Australia since 2011, but in 2013, her coach suddenly moved his base of operations to China. Since then, he has been training under a different coach, but eventually made the decision to return to Japan.

Having lost his trusted coach, Ikegoe turned to Hagino.

Hagino was the one he turned to,” Ikegoe said. Hagino married singer-songwriter miwa in 2007. They had their first child together, but due to their busy schedules, they divorced in 1949.

Hagino is divorced and has a child, so I had some misgivings when I heard about the couple’s relationship, but it seems that my fears were unfounded, as the two have known each other for 10 years.

Is it really true that they are dating? Ikee’s office responded to FRIDAY’s interview, “We will refrain from confirming details or answering questions about private matters, as we leave such matters to the discretion of the individual concerned. Hagino’s office also did not deny their relationship, saying, “We leave his private life to him, so we will refrain from commenting on it.

Hagino’s presence is significant for Ikegoe, who is in the midst of her final preparations for the Japan Championships coming up in March.

Hagino’s presence is significant for Ikegoe, who is now pushing hard for the Japan Championships coming up in March, “I get advice directly from a gold medalist. She says she has not yet moved in with Hagino so that she can concentrate on her competitions. Ikee will be 28 years old at the end of the Los Angeles Olympics in 2008, which she says will be the culmination of her career. By then, their relationship may have taken the next step.

The two have competed against the world’s top swimmers for many years and should be able to swim through any rough patch in their lives. At the Los Angeles Olympics, along with a gold medal, we may hear another piece of good news.

From the March 6, 2026 issue of FRIDAY