She was one of the few Japanese swimmers to qualify for seven different events, and she finished fifth in the 100-meter butterfly competition
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The Japan Swimming Federation announced its team for Fukuoka on Monday, April 10, with Ikee Rikako and Matsumoto Katsuhiro leading the charge for the host nation at the World Aquatics Championships this summer. At Japan Swim 2023, which ended on Sunday (9 April) at the Tokyo Aquatics Center, two-time Olympian Ikee claimed four victories while also finishing in the top two spots in two races. Ikee will compete in the world championships for the first time in six years since she received her leukemia diagnosis in early 2019.
Ikee remarked, “The first day I won the 100 flies to qualify, which I wasn’t expecting to do, and managed to get on a roll from there. Since my times aren’t exactly what I’d like them to be, I need to step it up going forward, it excites me. It’s the world championships now after the Olympics.” Ikee made her Olympic debut at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016 at the age of 16. She was one of the few Japanese swimmers to qualify for seven different events, and she finished fifth in the 100-meter butterfly competition.
Matsumoto quickly swept to three victories, qualifying in each of them. At this competition, he was the only swimmer to set a Japanese record, finishing the 100-meter butterfly with 47.8 points. The 200 and 400 individual medleys for women were won by 16-year-old Narita Mio, who is quickly becoming Japan’s newest swimming star. Mio qualified for her first world championships by winning both events. Ohashi Yui, Honda Tomoru, and Watanabe Ippei, who recently won the 100 and 200 breaststroke events, are also contenders for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic medals. Watanabe Ippei previously held the 200-breaststroke world record. The team for the Tokyo Games consisted of 17 members out of the 40-person squad. Following is a list of every Japanese swimmer competing in the World Aquatics Championships from July 14 to 30, 2023:
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Irie Ryosuke, Takehara Hidekazu, and Yanagawa Daiki will compete in the backstroke division, while Shioura Shinri and Matsumoto Katsuhiro will compete in the men’s freestyle division. Hinomoto Yuya, Watanabe Ippei, and Sato Shoma will compete in the breaststroke division. Matsumoto, Kawamoto Takeshi, Mizunuma Naoki, Honda Tomoru, and Morimoto Teppei will compete in the butterfly category. Honda, Seto Daiya, and Ogata will perform in the Individual Medley division. Followed by the Relay division Gomi Tomonobu, Nakamura Katsumi, Kawane Masahiro, Mano Hidenari, Tanaka Taikan, and Yoshida Fuyu will compete.
Ikee Rikako, Shirai Rio, Namba Miyu, Kobori Waka, and Moriyama Yukimi will compete in the Women’s Freestyle category. In the Backstroke section Shirai, Miki Takahashi, and Hanane will compete. Next, Suzuki Satomi, Aoki Reona, and Imai Runa will compete in the Breaststroke division. Ikee, Soma Ai, Mitsui Airi, and Makino Hiroko will play in the Butterfly section. Narita Mio, Ohashi Yui, and Tanigawa Ageha will play in the Individual Medley section. Ikemoto Nagisa, Jinno Yume, Igarashi Chihiro, and Mochizuki Kinuko will compete in the Relay section.
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