Japan’s Rikako Ikee is proving why she is one of the best swimmers in the world, winning her fourth gold medal of the 2018 Asian Games with a new Games record in the 100 fly. Ikee swam a 56.30 to lower the old record of 56.61 by China’s Chen Xinyi from 2014.
Ikee was faster at Pan Pacs earlier this year when she swam a 56.08 to win the gold medal in front of her home country’s fans in Tokyo. Ikee will still have the fastest time in the world this year with that Pan Pac swim and she will be a favorite moving forward for the next two years for the Tokyo Olympics. Ikee is the 2018 Virtual World Champion ahead of Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom.
Ikee won by over a full second ahead of China’s Zhang Yufei (57.40) and Korea’s An Sehyeon (58.00). Zhang would be tied for sixth with Russia’s Svetlana Chimrova in the 100 fly this year with that time.
Ikee also ended China’s winning streak in this event as they have won seven of the last eight 100 fly gold medals at the Asian Games. Ikee is the first Japanese gold medalist in the event since Ayari Aoyama won in 1998.
An Sehyeon is also the first Korean swimmer to medal in the 100 fly ever at the Asian Games.
- Rikako Ikee, JPN, 56.30, Games Record
- Zhang Yufei, CHN, 57.40
- An Sehyeon, KOR, 58.00
- Ai Soma, JPN, 58.68
- Lin Xintong, CHN, 58.82
- Jing Quah, SIN, 58.93
- Park Yerin, KOR, 59.57
- Chan Kin Lok, HKG, 59.94
2018 Virtual World Championships
- Rikako Ikee, JPN, 56.08, Pan Pacs
- Sarah Sjostrom, SWE, 56.23, Europeans
- Kelsi Dahlia, USA, 56.44, Pan Pacs
- Emma McKeon, AUS, 56.54, Pan Pacs
- Maddie Groves, AUS, 57.19, Commonwealth Games
- Svetlana Chimrova, RUS, 57.40, Europeans
- Zhang Yufei, CHN, 57.40, Asian Games
- Penny Oleksiak, CAN, 57.50, Commonwealth Games
