Japanese swimming star Rikako Ikee has registered for a contest in Tokyo this month, her first since her shock analysis with leukaemia final yr, native media reported on Tuesday. The 20-year-old was a powerful favorite for 100-metre butterfly gold at her home Olympic Games earlier than revealing final yr that she had been identified with leukaemia. She was discharged from hospital in December after being hospitalised for about 10 months and resumed coaching in March. Public broadcaster NHK and Kyodo Information mentioned on Tuesday that Ikee has registered for a 50-metre freestyle race organised by the Tokyo Swimming Affiliation on August 29.
A spokesman for the affiliation declined to remark, saying solely that registration for the occasion was nonetheless open.
Ikee has documented her battle in opposition to the illness on-line, thanking her legions of followers for his or her assist.
“It was a protracted and exhausting time,” she mentioned final yr in a handwritten message posted on her Twitter account.
Ikee was additionally thought of a contender for the Tokyo 2020 200m freestyle, however her analysis compelled her to change her focus to competing within the 2024 Olympics.
She has not mentioned if she plans to rethink and compete in Tokyo subsequent yr, following the postponement of the Games because of the coronavirus.
She served as the important thing determine at a subdued year-to-go ceremony for the postponed Video games final month, urging disheartened athletes to not lose religion.
Promoted
“Consider the approaching yr not merely as a one-year postponement, however a plus-one,” she mentioned.
“To beat adversity, what we’d like is hope, a flame of hope of glowing within the distance permits us to maintain attempting, to maintain shifting ahead, irrespective of how exhausting it’s.”
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