Just one day after setting a new World Junior Record in the women’s 100 SCM butterfly, Rikako Ikee, 16, of Japan was back in the water etching her name in the record books.
Swimming in finals of the women’s 100 individual medley (IM), Ikee posted a second place finish of 58.24 behind Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu. That time erased the existing World Junior Record of 58.36, set as a benchmark time for FINA’s list of SCM records.
When FINA began recognizing short course meter records in January of 2015 they simply set “benchmarks” for times, thereby associating no names with the records. As those benchmark times are bypassed the record book begins to fill with names.
Ikee is one of three young athletes who has experienced record-breaking success at the 2016 FINA World Cup Series as both Zhu Menghui and Kyle Chalmers have downed World Junior Records.
The 16-year-old Olympian is no stranger to World Junior records, owning the 50 LCM free (24.72) as well. In addition to WJ records Ikee also owns a total of four national records (all LCM): 50 free (24.67), 100 free (53.69), 50 fly (25.50), and 100 fly (56.86).
In her first Olympics Ikee qualified to swim in a wealth of events (four individual and three relay) with her highest showing being in the 100 fly, where she touched sixth overall.
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