【特集】ケガ乗り越え･･･オリンピック目指す期待の「高校生スイマー」：競泳・水沼尚輝が直撃取材【新潟】スーパーJにいがた5月18日OA

Competitive swimmer Naoki Mizunuma conducted an exclusive interview with a promising high school swimmer. Mizunuma visited the Dash Swimming School Niitsu in Akiha Ward, Niigata City. This prestigious school has four locations in Niigata Prefecture (Niigata, Tsubame, Sanjo, and Niitsu) and has produced numerous national championship participants. In his first time as a reporter, Mizunuma met with approximately 60 students. The sudden appearance of a current Olympian caused a great stir. Among the athletes who gave him a warm welcome was a swimmer who caught Mizunuma's eye… His name is Yuusei Imaizumi, a third-year high school student. At the Japan Championships held in March, he competed in the 100m breaststroke final and achieved a respectable 6th place. Furthermore, the following week at the Junior Olympics, he recorded the second-fastest time in Japanese high school history. He is a high school swimmer who is expected to compete in the Los Angeles Olympics. Mizunuma conducted an exclusive interview with Imaizumi! ■Swimming: Naoki Mizunuma "I believe you finished 6th at the Japan Championships this time. How do you feel about this 6th place?" ■Nagaoka Ote: Yuusei Imaizumi (3rd year) "I didn't think I'd make it to the finals; I thought I'd be eliminated in the preliminaries. I'm the most surprised. I suddenly improved after starting weight training, and I got faster with practice." What are Imaizumi's strengths? ■Swimming: Naoki Mizunuma "What would you say are your strong points?" ■Dash Niitsu: Kazuaki Sekiya Coach "It's his knee flexibility, what's called hyperextended knee." ■Swimming: Naoki Mizunuma "So, it's when someone's knee bends far back?" Hyperextended knee is a joint characteristic where the knee bends backward. Compared to other swimmers, Imaizumi's knees have a greater, bow-like curve. This exceptional knee flexibility creates leg flexion, leading to powerful kicks and great propulsion. ■Swimming: Naoki Mizunuma "This is a natural characteristic; it allows me to catch the water more effectively than the average person. (Hyperextended knees) are said to be a very advantageous knee shape for swimming. Since I also have hyperextended knees, I feel a strong connection to this." A "natural strength" shared by top swimmers representing Japan. However, there was a heavy price to pay... In 2024, when he was a first-year high school student, Imaizumi suffered a sudden injury. ■Nagaoka Ote High School: Yuusei Imaizumi (3rd year) "I tore the ligaments in my left knee, and as a result, fractured my right ankle. Both my legs were immobile." He put a great deal of stress on his left knee, damaging the ligaments... and as a result of compensating for that, he fractured his right ankle. He was forced to take a break from swimming. ■Nagaoka Ote, Yuusei Imaizumi (3rd year) "When I got injured, I thought I was completely useless, and I even considered quitting swimming." The person who supported Imaizumi most closely during his struggles was his mother, Kanako. ■Mother, Kanako "I was so worried that I wondered if he would ever be able to walk again. We went to several hospitals to find out about the ligament damage, and then we searched for a place that could perform regenerative medicine. He said the injections for regenerative medicine were really painful, and he never wants to do it again." ■Nagaoka Ote, Yuusei Imaizumi (3rd year) "The injections hurt so much I wanted to scream. She had supported me through my treatment up to this point, so I felt I had no choice but to repay her kindness and did my best." He vowed to make a comeback and dedicated himself to rehabilitation. He also took up weight training on his own, thoroughly strengthening his upper body muscles. As a result, his weight increased by 4 kg compared to before his injury. In 2025, his comeback year, his dormant talent blossomed. At the summer Inter-High School Championships, he won second place, standing on the podium at a national competition for the first time. And then— "Imaizumi Yuusei! Dash Niitsu! Yuusei!" He advanced to the final of the 100m breaststroke at the Japan Championships, the highest level of competition in Japan. He competed on equal footing with top swimmers and achieved a respectable 6th place. ■Swimming: Mizunuma Naoki "What were the factors that led to your 6th place finish at this year's Japan Championships?" ■Nagaoka Ote High School: Imaizumi Yuusei (3rd year) "I think I got faster because my body got bigger (through weight training), which increased my power and the distance I covered with each stroke increased significantly. I also feel like I've become better at controlling my body." Imaizumi has overcome injury and gained even greater strength. What lies beyond his gaze— ■Swimming: Naoki Mizunuma "What kind of athlete do you want to become, and what goals do you have for continuing to swim?" ■Nagaoka Ote High School: Yuusei Imaizumi (3rd year) "I want to compete on the world stage an...