Swimming star Rikako Ikee expressed confidence Saturday that after only competing in team events at the last Olympics, she will be able to make waves as an individual this year in Paris.
Ikee did not qualify for any individual events at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 after recovering from a battle with leukemia but is looking to rectify that this year with berths in the 50- and 100-meter freestyle and the 100-meter butterfly.
To do that, she will need to meet the qualifying times when Japan holds its Olympic trials starting on March 17 in Tokyo.
"I am confident I can beat the qualifying times. My aim is well beyond them," she said at a public workout in Niigata Prefecture.
Since autumn, Ikee had been training in Australia under coach Michael Bohl with the stated goal of wanting to be the best in the world. While abroad, she worked on increasing the number of dolphin kicks right after the start of her races, which has been a weak point for her.
"I've improved tremendously," said Ikee, who returned to Japan having added three kilograms to her frame and sporting a suntan.
"I'm approaching this meet with the attitude that I'm absolutely going to Paris."