TOKYO— Japanese swimmer Rikako Ikee powered to a second Tokyo Olympic berth by winning the women’s 100-meter freestyle at the national championships on Thursday, less than eight months after she returned to competition following her recovery from leukemia.
Ikee finished in 53.98 seconds, missing the 53.31 seconds she needed to qualify for the individual 100-meter freestyle but punching her ticket for the 400-meter relay at this summer’s Games.
Her triumph comes on the heels of her emotional victory on Sunday in the 100-meter butterfly, which secured her a spot in the 4×100 medley relay – unthinkable only months ago as she was returning to fitness after her cancer treatment.
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Keep on reading: Leukemia survivor Ikee qualifies for second Tokyo Olympic relay event