Japanese swimmer Ikee Rikako named as Most Valuable Player (MVP) of Asian Games

Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has chosen Japanese woman swimmer Rikako Ikee (18) as winner of Most Valuable Player (MVP) Trophy Award in 2018 Jakarta and Palembang Asian Games. With this, she became first female winner of MVP award, which OCA introduced at 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand. She was presented with trophy and  $50,000 cheque.

Key Facts

Rikako Ikee was recognized as MVP for winning 6 gold and 2 silver medals. She had won gold medals in 50m butterfly, 100m fly, 50m free, 100m free, 4x100m free and the 4x100m medley events and silver medals in 4 x 200m freestyle and mixed medley relays. She is first female athlete in any sport to win six gold medals at a single Asian Games. So far, Only North Korean shooter So Gin-man, who had won seven golds and silver at 1982 Asian Games held in New Delhi, India. With eight medals in total, Ikee has equalled record medal haul in single Asian Games held by North Korean shooter So Gin-man. Ikee is fourth Japanese athlete to win this award since its inception. Previously, three swimmers had won this award: Kosuke Kitajima (Japan) in 2002, Park Tae-hwan (South Korea) in 2006 and Kosuke Hagino (Japan) in 2014.

Month: Current Affairs - September, 2018