Japanese swimmer Rikako Ikee crowned Most Valuable Player at Asian Games 2018

Rikako Ikee was announced as the MVP (Most Valuable Player) of the 18th Asian Games at a brief ceremony in Jakarta on Sunday. The 18-year-old Ikee won eight medals, six gold and two silver, in the pool - the most by any athlete in Indonesia. Only North Korean shooter So Gin-man, with seven, collected more golds at a single Asian Games, when India hosted back in 1982. Ikee is also the first female athlete to be named MVP at the Asian Games - which started naming an MVP at the 1998 Bangkok Games. The Japanese teenager also took home a $50,000 US dollar cheque following her brilliant performances. Ikee won all four of her individual events - the 50 and 100-metre freestyle, and the 50 and 100-metre butterfly - and was a member of the gold-winning 4x100 freestyle and medley relays teams. Silver medals were collected in the 4x200 freestyle and the 4x100 mixed medley relays. Ikee became the fourth Japanese athlete to win the MVP and the second in succession following swimmer Kosuke Hagino at the 2014 games in Incheon, South Korea. Swimmer Kosuke Kitajima won the award at the Busan Games in 2002, and athlete Koji Ito back in 1998.