The 2025 World Junior Swimming Championships are now in the past, and one Japanese swimmer is already reflecting on what could have been in his debut appearance for his nation.
18-year-old Kazushi Imafuku raced his way to a trio of medals, including silver in the 800m free, silver in the 1500m free and silver as a member of Japan’s men’s 4x200m free relay. Imafuku’s time of 7:48.34 in the 800m free represented a new lifetime best and Japanese national record.
Prior to World Juniors, Imafuku competed at the World Championships, where he settled for 19th in the 400m free and 15th in the 1500m free.
The teen recently spoke to TBS News Dig about the disruption in training leading up to the latter competition in Otopeni, Romania, after suffering from gastroenteritis in Singapore.
He wasn’t the only aquatic athlete impacted by such illness at Worlds, with competitors to the tune of Ben Proud (GBR), Kasia Wasick (Poland) and Nicolo Martinenghi (Italy) among those who suffered from a similar situation.
After being unable to train properly, Imafuku stated, “My cardiopulmonary function was impaired and it took a while to recover.
“I wasn’t sure if I would be able to swim well this time.”
According to the report, in order to avoid suffering from the same condition in Romaia, Imafuku brought food from Japan and three bottles of disinfectant.
Regarding his 800m free record-breaking swim, the freestyle ace commented, “I was hoping to break the Japanese record at the Japan Championships (in March), but it didn’t work out, but this time the 800m went well. But I still feel a little disappointed because I think I can still show my strength.”
He’s already looking ahead to future elite competitions, including the 2026 Pan Pacific Championships and the 2026 Asian Games.
Regarding the latter, Imafuku said, “The Chinese athletes are fast, but I hope I can win there as well.”
The 2026 Pan Pacific Championships are scheduled for August next year in Irvine, California, while the 2026 Asian Games are on the calendar for September/October in Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya, Japan.
Goat