Swimming - Tokyo Olympics medal hopeful Ikee diagnosed with leukaemia

FILE PHOTO : Swimming - 2018 Asian Games - Women's 50m Butterfly Heats - GBK Aquatics Center, Jakarta, Indonesia, August 20, 2018. Rikako Ikee of Japan prepares to start. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese swimmer Rikako Ikee, who won six titles at last year's Asian Games and was considered a strong medal contender for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, said on Tuesday she had been diagnosed with leukaemia.

The 18-year-old was named Japanese Swimmer of the Year last month after her record-breaking exploits in the Jakarta pool.