The Japan Swimming Federation hosted the annual Aquatics Awards on Monday evening in Tokyo, celebrating achievements by its elite athletes in 2018.
Asian Games MVP Rikako Ikee, who had already been named the swimmer of the year after the conclusion of the 2018 season, did not attend the ceremony as she is currently training in Australia.
The swimming pool belonged to the 18-year-old in 2018. At April's national championships, Ikee won in four disciplines, breaking national records six times. She racked up four medals — including a gold in the 100 butterfly — at the Pan-Pacific Championships in Tokyo ahead of August's Asian Games in Jakarta.