Japanese swimmer Rikako Ikee was named the Olympic Council of Asia’s Most Valuable Player at the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang by the OCA on Sunday.
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Ikee, 18, won six gold and two silver medals at the GBK Aquatic Centre in Jakarta to become the first female athlete in any sport to win six gold medals at a single Asian Games.
Japan’s Rikako Ikee celebrates winning the 50-metre freestyle. Photo: Reuters
With eight medals in total, Ikee equalled the record medal haul in a single Asian Games held by North Korean shooter So Gin-man at the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi, India.
She also became the first female winner of the MVP award, which the OCA introduced at the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand.
Three swimmers had won the award previously: Kosuke Kitajima (Japan) in 2002, Park Tae-hwan (Republic of Korea) in 2006 and Kosuke Hagino (Japan) in 2014.
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The Chairman of the OCA MVP Award Selection Committee, Raja Randhir Singh, said: “The selection panel was unanimous in its decision to award the OCA MVP Trophy for the 18th Asian Games to the athlete Rikako Ikee of Japan.
