JAPAN'S -IKEE- JASMINE : SPORTS HONORS

 

''Don't overhype Ikee's return,'' Irie. Japanese swimmer warns fans not to put too much pressure on a 20-year-old cancer survivor.

TOKYO : Leukemia survivor Rikako Ikee must put her health first after qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics, Japan swimming teammate Ryosuke Irie said Monday, warning the media not to overdue  the hype.

Ikee clinched a place in Japan's medley relay team as the trials for the coronavirus-postponed Tokyo Games on Sunday, just two years after being diagnosed with leukaemia.

The news was rapturously received in Japan and overseas, with International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach and former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe both tweeting their congratulations.

But Japanese teammate Irie warned fans not to put too much pressure on the 20-year-old - who only returned to training just over a year go - and cautioned the media against making  her the poster girl for the Games.

''I was so surprised and happy for her, and I felt how hard she must have worked to get there,'' said Irie, who qualified for his fourth straight games on Monday by winning the men's 100-metre backstroke in a time of 53.13 seconds.

''But you can't let your guard down,'' he said. ''She has to look after her health first of all. It would make me happy if the media didn't hype her up too much.''

Ikee was in tears after winning the 100m butterfly on Sunday at the venue where the Tokyo Games will be held this summer.

Her time of 57.77 was not enough to clinch a place in the individual event at the Games, but it did make her eligible for Japan's medley relay team.

Ikee - who was named MVP of the 2018 Asian Games after claiming six Golds and two silvers - was hospitalised for around 10 months after being diagnosed with leukaemia in February 2019.

She resumed training in March last year, before returning to competition in August

Ikee is one of several young swimmers who have already clinched their place in Japan's Olympic team, and Irie, 31, was happy to join them on Monday. [AFP]