THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
March 18, 2020 at 15:35 JST
Japanese swimming sensation Rikako Ikee announced March 17 that she is back in the pool after a 406-day absence while she underwent treatment for leukemia.
Ikee, 19, posted the news on her Instagram account, accompanied by a photo of herself in a swimwsuit.
“Finally, the doctor let me return to the pool. I was told that it's the first time in 406 days,” she wrote. “I can't describe how glad I feel. I feel good and happy.”
Ikee also expressed concern about the coronavirus pandemic.
“I hope that everybody, including myself, will take sufficient precautions and the coronavirus outbreak will come to an end as soon as possible,” she said.
Ikee was discharged from hospital in December after 10 months of treatment for acute lymphatic leukemia.
She vowed in a tweet to resume training when given medical clearance with her sights set on competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
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Rikako Ikee is back in her element after a 406-day absence from swimming due to leukemia. (from Rikako Ikee’s Instagram)
