Swimming against Adversity
Ikee Rikako began to swim/at a very young age. At age 18,/she was already a famous competitive swimmer. However,/her life had its share of ups and downs. Here’s her story.
“Swimming has always been my passion,”/Ikee Rikako once said. From a young age,/she showed extraordinary talent in swimming. She set record after record/and made a name for herself in the sport. Her achievements in swimming/made her a rising star. She said,/“I’ve always loved the water. It has become my second home.”
At age 18,/Ikee won six gold medals/at the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia. Everything was going well for her. She never imagined/that her journey was about to take an unexpected turn.
In early 2019,/she was not feeling well/at the training camp in Australia,/so she came back to Japan/for a physical checkup. The doctor told her/that she had leukemia,/and she was hospitalized right away.
The treatment was very hard on Ikee. It took away so much of her strength/that she had to struggle even to get up. She said,/“It felt tiring even to be alive.” Once,/when she was in great pain,/a terrible thought came to her:/“I might as well be dead.”
Ikee lost more than 15 kilograms/and felt very weak. However,/with the support of many people/—her family, friends, and medical staff—/she was released from the hospital/in December 2019. Even though she still lacked strength,/she found joy in her heart. “Now,/I can take care of myself/and walk without help,”/she said. Simply being able to perform everyday tasks/brought her happiness.
Ikee began physical training. In March 2020,/her doctor allowed her to enter a swimming pool/for the first time in 406 days. However,/she had a hard time/ keeping up with her teammates. This frustrated her,/but she is not the type of person/to give up easily. She was determined to move forward.
At the same time,/Ikee realized/that she owed a lot to her teammates. On July 4, 2020,/she received a birthday message from them:
You can laugh/even when things are hard.
We love you, Rikako.
But now you’re crying/because things are hard.
Still,/we love you, Rikako.
You can count on us/until the end of time.
One day,/together again,/we will laugh and laugh!
The meaning of swimming for Ikee/totally changed through her hardships. Before her illness,/her goal was simple and clear:/to become the best swimmer in the world. She said,/“I assumed/I could just focus on swimming/and live as I pleased. My only goal was to become stronger.”
As she recovered from her illness,/Ikee discovered a new sense of self. She said,/“I’ve been thinking a lot/about my hardships. Did I learn anything from that experience? Yes,/I can now empathize/with so many people. Just being alive/is an extraordinary experience.” With these thoughts,/she hopes to inspire people/by showing that she has returned to swimming.
In August 2020,/Ikee made her comeback/at a competitive swimming meet. In October of the same year,/she took part in Japan’s Inter College Swimming Championships. She finished fourth/in the women’s 50-meter freestyle/but this was a remarkable achievement for her. It was only her second swimming meet/since her release from the hospital/in December 2019.
Ikee said,/“To overcome adversity,/we need hope more than anything else.” She added,/“A flickering flame of hope in the distance/allows us to move forward,/regardless of the challenges.”
Her determination in the face of adversity/inspires us all to overcome our own challenges. Through her comeback,/she has become a symbol of hope. Her story has been serving,/and will continue to serve,/as an example of the extraordinary power of the human spirit.
Ikee Rikako began to swim/at a very young age. At age 18,/she was already a famous competitive swimmer. However,/her life had its share of ups and downs. Here’s her story.
“Swimming has always been my passion,”/Ikee Rikako once said. From a young age,/she showed extraordinary talent in swimming. She set record after record/and made a name for herself in the sport. Her achievements in swimming/made her a rising star. She said,/“I’ve always loved the water. It has become my second home.”
At age 18,/Ikee won six gold medals/at the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia. Everything was going well for her. She never imagined/that her journey was about to take an unexpected turn.
In early 2019,/she was not feeling well/at the training camp in Australia,/so she came back to Japan/for a physical checkup. The doctor told her/that she had leukemia,/and she was hospitalized right away.
The treatment was very hard on Ikee. It took away so much of her strength/that she had to struggle even to get up. She said,/“It felt tiring even to be alive.” Once,/when she was in great pain,/a terrible thought came to her:/“I might as well be dead.”
Ikee lost more than 15 kilograms/and felt very weak. However,/with the support of many people/—her family, friends, and medical staff—/she was released from the hospital/in December 2019. Even though she still lacked strength,/she found joy in her heart. “Now,/I can take care of myself/and walk without help,”/she said. Simply being able to perform everyday tasks/brought her happiness.
Ikee began physical training. In March 2020,/her doctor allowed her to enter a swimming pool/for the first time in 406 days. However,/she had a hard time/ keeping up with her teammates. This frustrated her,/but she is not the type of person/to give up easily. She was determined to move forward.
At the same time,/Ikee realized/that she owed a lot to her teammates. On July 4, 2020,/she received a birthday message from them:
You can laugh/even when things are hard.
We love you, Rikako.
But now you’re crying/because things are hard.
Still,/we love you, Rikako.
You can count on us/until the end of time.
One day,/together again,/we will laugh and laugh!
The meaning of swimming for Ikee/totally changed through her hardships. Before her illness,/her goal was simple and clear:/to become the best swimmer in the world. She said,/“I assumed/I could just focus on swimming/and live as I pleased. My only goal was to become stronger.”
As she recovered from her illness,/Ikee discovered a new sense of self. She said,/“I’ve been thinking a lot/about my hardships. Did I learn anything from that experience? Yes,/I can now empathize/with so many people. Just being alive/is an extraordinary experience.” With these thoughts,/she hopes to inspire people/by showing that she has returned to swimming.
In August 2020,/Ikee made her comeback/at a competitive swimming meet. In October of the same year,/she took part in Japan’s Inter College Swimming Championships. She finished fourth/in the women’s 50-meter freestyle/but this was a remarkable achievement for her. It was only her second swimming meet/since her release from the hospital/in December 2019.
Ikee said,/“To overcome adversity,/we need hope more than anything else.” She added,/“A flickering flame of hope in the distance/allows us to move forward,/regardless of the challenges.”
Her determination in the face of adversity/inspires us all to overcome our own challenges. Through her comeback,/she has become a symbol of hope. Her story has been serving,/and will continue to serve,/as an example of the extraordinary power of the human spirit.