Rikako Ikee, a swimmer who participated in the Tokyo Olympics, held the opening ceremony for the first time in the professional baseball game between Yakult and Chunichi held at Jingu Stadium on the night of the 25th.
Ikee went up to the mound of Jingu Stadium with a tense look, wearing a uniform with a uniform number of "74" after his birthday on July 4th.
Then, he received the ball from Yakult's Munetaka Murakami, who was born in 2000 and had a conversation with him in a magazine project, and shook his arm powerfully from the set position to hold the opening ceremony.
The ball fits in the catcher mitt with no bounds, and the spectators at the stadium gave a big applause.
Ikee, who participated in the Tokyo Olympics after being treated for leukemia, said on his Twitter account before the opening ceremony, "It's been two years since the transplant. I'm fine enough to forget about this time, but I'm going slowly without overdoing it. It's the opening ceremony on such a memorable day. I'll do my best! "
After the opening ceremony, Ikee said, "I was so nervous that my legs were cramped, but when I stood on the mound, I thought the scenery was nice. I practiced throwing until my muscles hurt, so I was very happy to be thrown without bounds. If I was in the strike zone, I got a perfect score of 10, so if I get another chance, I'd like to throw a strike next time. "