Jakarta: Japanese teenager Rikako Ikee became the first swimmer to win six gold medals at a single Asian Games with victory in the women’s 50 metres freestyle final here, Friday.
Only North Korean shooter So Gin-man, who won seven golds and a silver at the 1982 Asiad in New Delhi, has won more titles at one Games but Ikee, who has also won two relay silvers, equalled his record of eight medals.
The 18-year-old stormed to victory in 24.53 seconds to add the freestyle sprint title to those she won in the 100m freestyle, 50m and 100m butterfly as well as the 4×100 freestyle and medley relays.
Ikee’s achievement was all the more remarkable for the fact that she came to Jakarta straight after the Pan Pacific championships, where she won a gold, two silvers and a bronze.
“It is a nice way to warm up for the Tokyo Olympics,” said the young Japanese, who already have become the face of the Games here. “But then I hate to lose… I will win by sheer willpower when nothing else works. In the next two years, I will work on my timing and technique and be ready for many more medals,” she added.
Meanwhile wrestler Rustem Nazarov from Turkmenistan became the Asian Games’ first doping casualty. He was disqualified after failing a pre-tournament test for the banned masking agent furosemide, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) said.
“Nazarov has been disqualified from the 18th Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games 2018 and his results during the competition held on the 19th August annulled,” a statement said.
The athlete, 24, had competed in the men’s 57kg freestyle event and was defeated in his first match by India’s Sandeep Tomar.
Six athletes tested positive at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon including South Korean swimming star Park Tae-hwan, who was stripped of his medals.