Kazushi Imafuku (born 21 May 2007) is a Japanese swimmer specializing in distance freestyle. At 17 years old, Imafuku…
Kazushi Imafuku (born 21 May 2007) is a Japanese swimmer specializing in distance freestyle. At 17 years old, Imafuku broke the Japanese national record in the 1500 metres freestyle with a time of 14:50.18. The next year, he broke the 800 metres freestyle record at Japan's high school nationals. Despite a stomach illness, he won three silver medals at the 2025 World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships. At the 2026 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, Imafuku won silver in the 1500 m freestyle, reclaiming the Japanese record which had been taken by Kaito Tabuchi, lowering it to 14:42.59.
Famous Japanese People: Competitive Swimming・Swimming
Competitive Swimming・Swimming: 326 people
Tatsuya Murasa (村佐達也, Murasa Tatsuya; born 27 March 2007) is a Japanese competitive swimmer. He competed in the men's 4…
Tatsuya Murasa (村佐達也, Murasa Tatsuya; born 27 March 2007) is a Japanese competitive swimmer. He competed in the men's 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay at the 2024 Summer Olympics and won a bronze medal at the men's 200 metre freestyle at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships.
Mizuki Hirai (born 7 March 2007) is a Japanese swimmer. She placed seventh in the women's 100 metre butterfly at the…
Mizuki Hirai (born 7 March 2007) is a Japanese swimmer. She placed seventh in the women's 100 metre butterfly at the 2024 Summer Olympics held in Paris, France.
Mio Narita (成田 実生, Narita Mio; born 18 December 2006) is a Japanese competitive swimmer. She is the 2022 World Junior…
Mio Narita (成田 実生, Narita Mio; born 18 December 2006) is a Japanese competitive swimmer. She is the 2022 World Junior champion and 2022 Junior Pan Pacific champion in both the 200-metre individual medley and the 400-metre individual medley. She is a former world junior record holder in the 400-metre individual medley.
Miyuki Yamada (born 15 September 2006) is a Japanese Paralympic swimmer. She represented Japan at the 2020 Summer…
Miyuki Yamada (born 15 September 2006) is a Japanese Paralympic swimmer. She represented Japan at the 2020 Summer Paralympics.
Rikuto Tamai (Japanese: 玉井 陸斗 Tamai Rikuto, born 11 September 2006) is a Japanese diver. He won Japan's first Olympic…
Rikuto Tamai (Japanese: 玉井 陸斗 Tamai Rikuto, born 11 September 2006) is a Japanese diver. He won Japan's first Olympic medal in diving at the 2024 Paris Olympics. In April 2019, he became the youngest ever national indoor diving champion. In September of the same year, he became the youngest ever national diving champion. He was one of the youngest Japanese competitors at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo. At the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tamai won a silver medal in the men's 10 m platform event, with a score of 507.65. This was Japan’s first ever Olympics medal in diving.
Tomoyuki Matsushita (Japanese: 松下知之, Hepburn: Matsushita Tomoyuki); born 1 August 2005) is a Japanese swimmer. He…
Tomoyuki Matsushita (Japanese: 松下知之, Hepburn: Matsushita Tomoyuki); born 1 August 2005) is a Japanese swimmer. He competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics and won the silver medal in the 400m individual medley event.
Yuri Hosei (born 20 May 2005) is a Palauan swimmer. She represented Palau at the 2024 Summer Olympics in the women's 50…
Yuri Hosei (born 20 May 2005) is a Palauan swimmer. She represented Palau at the 2024 Summer Olympics in the women's 50 metre freestyle. She is the sister of Jion Hosei, who also competed in the 2024 Summer Olympics. Together they carried the flag of Palau at the closing ceremony. Hosei is a student at Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan, and is a member of the university's swim team. She found out about her and her brother qualifying for the 2024 Summer Olympics after their mother called her while she was studying at a restaurant. She and her brother trained in Geneva a few weeks before the Games. Yuri Hosei competed in her event on 3 August 2024 at 11:05 a.m., making her Olympic debut. She competed in the third of the heats and swam a personal best time of 30.52 seconds. She placed equal sixth out of the eight swimmers in her heat, finished with a time not enough to progress to later rounds, and placed 64th overall. The eventual winner of the event was Sarah Sjöström of Sweden with a time of 23.71 seconds. After she competed, she praised her mother for encouraging the siblings to train hard. She also stated that she felt encouraged to compete due to other Oceanian athletes competing at the Games and Sophia University's swim team.
Airi Mitsui (三井 愛梨, Mitsui Airi; born 12 June 2004) is a Japanese competitive swimmer. At the 2022 Junior Pan Pacific…
Airi Mitsui (三井 愛梨, Mitsui Airi; born 12 June 2004) is a Japanese competitive swimmer. At the 2022 Junior Pan Pacific Championships, she won the gold medal in the 200 metre butterfly and silver medals in the 100 metre butterfly and 4×100 metre medley relay. At the 2022 World Short Course Championships, she placed sixth in the final of the 200 metre butterfly.
Hidekazu Takehara (Japanese: 竹原 秀一; born 27 April 2004) is a Japanese swimmer who specializes in the backstroke. He…
Hidekazu Takehara (Japanese: 竹原 秀一; born 27 April 2004) is a Japanese swimmer who specializes in the backstroke. He represented Japan at the 2024 Summer Olympics and has won multiple medals at the Asian Games, including three silver medals at the 2026 Asian Games.
Ichika Kajimoto (梶本 一花, Kajimoto Ichika; born 7 March 2004) is a Japanese swimmer. She competed at the 2025 World…
Ichika Kajimoto (梶本 一花, Kajimoto Ichika; born 7 March 2004) is a Japanese swimmer. She competed at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships, winning the gold medal in the women's 3 km knockout sprints event.
Konosuke Yanagimoto (柳本幸之介, Yanagimoto Kōnosuke, born 24 November 2003) is a Japanese swimmer. He competed in the men's…
Konosuke Yanagimoto (柳本幸之介, Yanagimoto Kōnosuke, born 24 November 2003) is a Japanese swimmer. He competed in the men's 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Ageha Tanigawa (谷川亜華葉, Tanigawa Ageha, born 15 June 2003) is a Japanese swimmer. She competed in the 2020 Summer…
Ageha Tanigawa (谷川亜華葉, Tanigawa Ageha, born 15 June 2003) is a Japanese swimmer. She competed in the 2020 Summer Olympics in the 400 m individual medley.
Nagisa Ikemoto (池本凪沙, Ikemoto Nagisa, born 25 August 2002) is a Japanese swimmer. She competed in the women's 4 × 200…
Nagisa Ikemoto (池本凪沙, Ikemoto Nagisa, born 25 August 2002) is a Japanese swimmer. She competed in the women's 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay at the 2020 Summer Olympics. At the 2018 Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, held in Suva, Fiji, Ikemoto won four bronze medals, one each in the 200 metre freestyle, 4×200 metre freestyle relay, 4×100 metre medley relay, 4×100 metre mixed medley relay.
Miyu Namba (難波 実夢, Nanba Miyu; born 31 May 2002) is a Japanese swimmer. At the Tokyo event of the 2018 FINA Swimming…
Miyu Namba (難波 実夢, Nanba Miyu; born 31 May 2002) is a Japanese swimmer. At the Tokyo event of the 2018 FINA Swimming World Cup, Namba won a silver medal in the Women's 400m freestyle, and a bronze medal in the 800m freestyle. In the 2019 World Cup, she took bronze in the 400m freestyle. She placed second in the 800m freestyle at the 2019 FINA World Junior Swimming Championships. In April 2021, Namba qualified to represent Japan at the 400m freestyle and 800m freestyle at the 2020 Summer Olympics. In the 400m freestyle qualifying competition, Namba was ahead of the field for most of the race, but lost to Waka Kobori with a time of 4:06.36 against Kobori's 4:06.34. Namba won the 800m freestyle qualifying final in 8:26.61, with Kobori second with 8:26.67. At the 2020 Summer Olympics, Namba finished 20th in the 400m freestyle with a time of 4:13.49, and 17th in the 800m freestyle at 8:32.04, and did not qualify for either final.
Shiho Matsumoto (Japanese: 松本信歩; born 3 April 2002) is a Japanese competitive swimmer who specialises in the individual…
Shiho Matsumoto (Japanese: 松本信歩; born 3 April 2002) is a Japanese competitive swimmer who specialises in the individual medley and freestyle events. She represented Japan at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris and the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi–Nagoya. At the 2026 Asian Games, she won a silver medal in the mixed 4 × 100 metre medley relay and a bronze medal in the women's 4 × 100 metre freestyle relay.
Tomoru Honda (Japanese: 本多 灯, Hepburn: Honda Tomoru; born 31 December 2001) is a Japanese competitive swimmer. He is…
Tomoru Honda (Japanese: 本多 灯, Hepburn: Honda Tomoru; born 31 December 2001) is a Japanese competitive swimmer. He is the world record holder in the short course 200 metre butterfly. He won a silver medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics in the men's 200 metre butterfly event.
Shoma Sato (born 8 February 2001) is a Japanese swimmer. He competed in the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Matsuri Arai (荒井 祭里, Arai Matsuri; born 18 January 2001) is a Japanese diver. She competed in the women's 10 metre…
Matsuri Arai (荒井 祭里, Arai Matsuri; born 18 January 2001) is a Japanese diver. She competed in the women's 10 metre platform event at the 2019 World Aquatics Championships. She represented Japan at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. She competed in the women's synchronized 10 metre platform and women's 10 metre platform events. In 2023, at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Arai won silver with Minami Itahashi in 10 metre synchro. Arai competed for Japan at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, where she finished ninth in the women's 10 metre platform event with a total score of 314.45 points.
Okina Kyogoku (京極 おきな, Kyōgoku Okina, born 20 October 2001) is a Japanese synchronised swimmer. She competed at the…
Okina Kyogoku (京極 おきな, Kyōgoku Okina, born 20 October 2001) is a Japanese synchronised swimmer. She competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics, in the team event with Yukiko Inui.
Hazuki Miyamoto (born 25 December 2000; Japanese: 宮本葉月) is a Japanese diver.
Sayaka Mikami (三上 紗也可, Mikami Sayaka; born 8 December 2000) is a Japanese diver. She competed in the women's 3 metre…
Sayaka Mikami (三上 紗也可, Mikami Sayaka; born 8 December 2000) is a Japanese diver. She competed in the women's 3 metre springboard event at the 2019 World Aquatics Championships. She qualified to represent Japan at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Naohide Yamaguchi (山口 尚秀, Yamaguchi Naohide, born 28 October 2000) is a Japanese Paralympic swimmer. He represented…
Naohide Yamaguchi (山口 尚秀, Yamaguchi Naohide, born 28 October 2000) is a Japanese Paralympic swimmer. He represented Japan at the 2020 and 2024 Summer Paralympics.
Yuki Ikari (井狩 裕貴, Ikari Yūki, born 21 August 2000) is a Japanese swimmer. He competed in the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Waka Kobori (小堀 倭加, Kobori Waka; born 10 August 2000) is a Japanese swimmer. She competed in the women's 1500 metre…
Waka Kobori (小堀 倭加, Kobori Waka; born 10 August 2000) is a Japanese swimmer. She competed in the women's 1500 metre freestyle event at the 2018 Asian Games, winning the bronze medal. She qualified to represent Japan at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Reo Nishida (西田 玲雄, Nishida Reo, born 16 July 2000) is a Japanese diver. He competed in the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Kota Kubota (窪田 幸太, Kubota Kota; born 6 March 2000) is a Japanese paralympic swimmer. He competed at the 2024 Summer…
Kota Kubota (窪田 幸太, Kubota Kota; born 6 March 2000) is a Japanese paralympic swimmer. He competed at the 2024 Summer Paralympics, winning the silver medal in the men's 100 m backstroke S8 event.
Minami Itahashi (板橋美波, Itahashi Minami; born 28 January 2000) is a retired Japanese diver. She has represented Japan at…
Minami Itahashi (板橋美波, Itahashi Minami; born 28 January 2000) is a retired Japanese diver. She has represented Japan at various international events since the age of 14, including the 2015 World Aquatics Championships, the 2016 Summer Olympics, and the 2020 Summer Olympics. She retired from diving in September of 2025.
Yu Hanaguruma (Japanese: 花車 優, Hepburn: Hanaguruma Yū; born 28 January 2000) is a Japanese swimmer. He participated at…
Yu Hanaguruma (Japanese: 花車 優, Hepburn: Hanaguruma Yū; born 28 January 2000) is a Japanese swimmer. He participated at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics in the swimming competition, being awarded the bronze and gold medal in the boys' 200 metre breaststroke and mixed 4 × 100 metre medley relay events. Hanaguruma also participated at the 2022 World Aquatics Championships in the swimming competition, being awarded the silver medal in the men's 200 metre breaststroke event.
Hiroki Ito (伊藤洸輝, Itō Hiroki, born 26 October 1999) is a Japanese diver. He competed in the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Rio Shirai (白井 璃緒, Shirai Rio; born 10 September 1999) is a Japanese swimmer. She competed in the women's 4 × 100 metre…
Rio Shirai (白井 璃緒, Shirai Rio; born 10 September 1999) is a Japanese swimmer. She competed in the women's 4 × 100 metre freestyle relay event at the 2018 Asian Games, winning the gold medal. As a 14-year-old at the 2014 Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Hawaii, United States, Shirai won the gold medal in the 200 metre backstroke with a 2:11.67, the bronze medal in the 100 metre backstroke with a 1:01.82, and a silver medal in the 4×100 metre medley relay with a final relay time of 4:04.11. The following edition, the 2016 Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships also held in Hawaii, United States, she won a bronze medal in the 4×200 metre freestyle relay, splitting a 1:59.88 for the fourth leg of the relay to help achieve a final time of 8:08.12.
Moeka Kijima (木島 萌香, Kijima Moeka; born 2 September 1999) is a Japanese competitor in synchronised swimming.
Hiroko Makino (牧野 紘子, Makino Hiroko; born 20 August 1999) is a Japanese swimmer. She competed in the women's 200 metre…
Hiroko Makino (牧野 紘子, Makino Hiroko; born 20 August 1999) is a Japanese swimmer. She competed in the women's 200 metre butterfly event at the 2017 World Aquatics Championships. At the 2014 Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Hawaii, United States, Makino won a silver medal in the 400 metre individual medley with a time of 4:45.23 and a bronze medal in the 4×200 metre freestyle relay, where she split a 2:02.62 to contribute to the final time of 8:09.26.
Akane Yanagisawa (栁澤 明希, Yanagisawa Akane; born 8 October 1998) is a Japanese competitor in synchronized swimming. She…
Akane Yanagisawa (栁澤 明希, Yanagisawa Akane; born 8 October 1998) is a Japanese competitor in synchronized swimming. She qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, in the team event. She competed in the 2019 FINA World Championships. Yanagisawa has also participated in several World Championships. In 2019, she won silver medals in both the women’s team free routine and the women’s free routine combination. In 2022, she continued to excel, securing silver in the women’s team technical routine and free combination, and a bronze in the women’s team free routine (InsideSynchro). In 2023, she earned a silver medal in the women’s team event at the Asian Games, along with additional silver and bronze medals at the World Championships. She also claimed gold and silver medals at World Cup events in Markham and Montpellier (InsideSynchro). As of 2024, Yanagisawa has accumulated 23 medals in major international competitions, including 10 gold, 11 silver, and 2 bronze (World Aquatics). Born in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, she began her athletic career in swimming before transitioning to synchronized swimming.
Ai Soma (born 15 September 1997) is a Japanese swimmer. She competed in the women's 50 metre butterfly event at the…
Ai Soma (born 15 September 1997) is a Japanese swimmer. She competed in the women's 50 metre butterfly event at the 2018 FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m), in Hangzhou, China.
Mayu Tsukamoto (born 15 April 1997) is a Japanese synchronized swimmer. She competed in the 2020 Summer Olympics. She…
Mayu Tsukamoto (born 15 April 1997) is a Japanese synchronized swimmer. She competed in the 2020 Summer Olympics. She also participated at the 2018 Asian Games and won a silver medal in the team event.
Ippei Watanabe (渡辺 一平, Watanabe Ippei; born 18 March 1997) is a Japanese swimmer and former world record holder in the…
Ippei Watanabe (渡辺 一平, Watanabe Ippei; born 18 March 1997) is a Japanese swimmer and former world record holder in the 200 metre breaststroke.
Naoki Mizunuma (水沼 尚輝, Mizunuma Naoki; born 13 December 1996) is a Japanese swimmer. He competed in the men's 50 metre…
Naoki Mizunuma (水沼 尚輝, Mizunuma Naoki; born 13 December 1996) is a Japanese swimmer. He competed in the men's 50 metre butterfly at the 2019 World Aquatics Championships.
Haruka Enomoto (榎本遼香, Enomoto Haruka; born 14 September 1996) is a Japanese diver. She competed in the 2017 Summer…
Haruka Enomoto (榎本遼香, Enomoto Haruka; born 14 September 1996) is a Japanese diver. She competed in the 2017 Summer Universiade, 2017 FINA Diving Grand Prix, and 2021 FINA Diving World Cup. She qualified to represent Japan at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Kano Omata (小俣 夏乃, Omata Kano; born 24 July 1996) is a Japanese competitor in synchronized swimming.
Ryuya Mura (武良竜也, Mura Ryūya, born 3 July 1996) is a Japanese breaststroke swimmer. He competed in the 2020 Summer…
Ryuya Mura (武良竜也, Mura Ryūya, born 3 July 1996) is a Japanese breaststroke swimmer. He competed in the 2020 Summer Olympics. ,
Anna Konishi (Kanji:小西 杏奈, Konsihi Anna, born 10 May 1996) is a Japanese backstroke swimmer. She qualified to represent…
Anna Konishi (Kanji:小西 杏奈, Konsihi Anna, born 10 May 1996) is a Japanese backstroke swimmer. She qualified to represent Japan at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo 2021. She placed 13th in women's 100 metre backstroke, 8th in mixed 4 × 100 metre medley relay, and 8th in women's 4 × 100 metre medley relay with the Japanese teams.
Yui Ohashi (Japanese: 大橋 悠依, Hepburn: Ōhashi Yui; born 18 October 1995) is a retired Japanese swimmer, specializing in…
Yui Ohashi (Japanese: 大橋 悠依, Hepburn: Ōhashi Yui; born 18 October 1995) is a retired Japanese swimmer, specializing in the medley events. She became the first Japanese woman to dip beneath the 2:08-barrier in the women's 200 metre individual medley event at the 2017 World Aquatics Championships, finishing with a silver-medal time and a national record of 2:07.91. Ohashi qualified to represent Japan at the 2020 Summer Olympics. She won Japan's second gold in the 2020 Summer Olympics, winning the Women's 400m individual medley. She also won the gold medal in the Women's 200m individual medley.
Megumu Yoshida (吉田 萌, Yoshida Megumu, born 2 July 1995) is a Japanese competitor in synchronised swimming. She competed…
Megumu Yoshida (吉田 萌, Yoshida Megumu, born 2 July 1995) is a Japanese competitor in synchronised swimming. She competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics, in the duet event with Yukiko Inui, and in the team event.
Masato Sakai (坂井 聖人, Sakai Masato; born 6 June 1995) is a Japanese swimmer who specializes in the men's 200 metre…
Masato Sakai (坂井 聖人, Sakai Masato; born 6 June 1995) is a Japanese swimmer who specializes in the men's 200 metre butterfly. He won the silver medal in the men's 200 metre butterfly event at the 2016 Summer Olympics. Sakai was in 6th position at the 150 mark, and finished 0.04 seconds behind Michael Phelps. At the 2015 World Aquatics Championships in Kazan, Sakai finished 4th in the 200 metre butterfly, 0.14 seconds outside the medals.
Keita Sunama (砂間敬太, Sunama Keita, born 8 May 1995) is a Japanese swimmer. He won the bronze medal in the men's 200…
Keita Sunama (砂間敬太, Sunama Keita, born 8 May 1995) is a Japanese swimmer. He won the bronze medal in the men's 200 metre backstroke at the 2018 Asian Games held in Jakarta, Indonesia. In 2019, he represented Japan at the World Aquatics Championships held in Gwangju, South Korea. He competed in the men's 200 metre backstroke event. He represented Japan at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. He competed in the men's 200 metre backstroke event.
Takeshi Kawamoto (川本武史, Kawamoto Takeshi, born 19 February 1995) is a Japanese swimmer. He competed in the men's 50…
Takeshi Kawamoto (川本武史, Kawamoto Takeshi, born 19 February 1995) is a Japanese swimmer. He competed in the men's 50 metre butterfly event at the 2018 FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m), in Hangzhou, China.
Tomomi Aoki (青木 智美, Aoki Tomomi; born 25 October 1994) is a Japanese swimmer. She competed in the women's 4 × 200 metre…
Tomomi Aoki (青木 智美, Aoki Tomomi; born 25 October 1994) is a Japanese swimmer. She competed in the women's 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay event at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Akihiro Yamaguchi (山口 観弘, Yamaguchi Akihiro; born September 11, 1994) is a retired Japanese swimmer and former world…
Akihiro Yamaguchi (山口 観弘, Yamaguchi Akihiro; born September 11, 1994) is a retired Japanese swimmer and former world record holder who specializes in the breaststroke. At the 2011 World Junior Swimming Championships in Lima, Yamaguchi won a total of four medals: one gold and three silvers. His gold came in the 200-meter breaststroke with a time of 2:11.70. On September 15, 2012, at the National Sports Festival of Japan, he set a new world record in the 200-meter breaststroke (long course) with a time of 2:07.01, bettering the previous record of 2:07.28.
Sayaka Akase (赤瀬 紗也香, Akase Sayaka; born August 25, 1994) is a Japanese competitive swimmer who specializes in…
Sayaka Akase (赤瀬 紗也香, Akase Sayaka; born August 25, 1994) is a Japanese competitive swimmer who specializes in backstroke. She won the gold medal in the 200 meter backstroke at the 2014 Asian Games. She also won the bronze medal in the 200 meter backstroke and the 4x100 meter relay at the 2014 FINA Short-Course Swimming Championships. She has also competed in the 2013 and 2015 World Aquatics Championships, and the 2014 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships. She has produced a total of 3 international medals, with 1 gold and 2 bronze.