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THIS SEASON: The fastest breaststroker in USC history, 2000-2001 senior Ryosuke Imai, a native of Japan, is a career four-time All-American who is an invaluable part of the Trojan medley relays.
1999-2000: Imai was a three-time All-American as a 1999-2000 junior and posted the fastest 100y and 200y breaststroke swims in USC history. At the 2000 NCAA Championships, Imai earned All-American honors with a fourth-place in the 100m breast (59.72, sc), a fifth in the 200m breast (2:10.41, sc) and as part of the Trojans' fifth-place 400m medley relay (3:33.85, sc). At the 2000 Pac-10 Championships, Imai broke school records in the 100y and 200y breast events en route to titles in both races. He first posted a school record time of 53.83 in the 100y breast and then complemented it with a USC record 1:56.58 in the 200y breast. They were the first Pac-10 titles in the breast events for the Trojans since 1994 (Marc Farion, 200y). He was also 14th in the 200y IM (1:49.89). At the 2000 U.S. Spring Nationals, Imai was a two-time finalist, taking third in the 200m breast (2:16.12) and fourth in the 100m breast (1:02.69). He also swam on USC's seventh-place 400m free relay. At the 1999 U.S. Open, Imai was fifth in the 100m breast (1:03.60) and was 14th in the 200m breast (2:22.41). He also was the co-recipient for the Coaches Recognition Award at the 2000 team banquet.
1998-99: Imai had an impressive first season at Troy as a 1998-99 sophomore, earning All-American honors with an eighth-place mark in the 100y breast (55.12) at the 1999 NCAA Championships. He just missed scoring points in the 200y breast, taking 17th (2:00.63). At the 1999 Pac-10s, Imai reached the finals of the 200y breast, taking seventh (2:00.19), and took 11th in the 100y breast (56.25). He also finished 12th in the 200y IM (1:50.05). At the 1998 U.S. Open, Imai finished second in the 100m breast (1:00.89, sc) and fifth in the 200m breast (2:14.27, SC). At the 1998 Fina World Cup, he finished third in the 200m breast (2:13.13, sc) and sixth in the 50m breast (28.69, sc). He competed for Japan at the 1999 Pan Pacific Championships and won a bronze in the 400m medley relay. He also took seventh in the 100m breast (1:02.95) and reached the semifinals of the 200m breast (2:18.27).
HIGH SCHOOL/COLLEGE: Imai prepped at Higashi Fukuoka High in Japan and went on to compete for Waseda University in Tokyo. He is a veteran of Japanese national meets and is the Japanese national record holder in the 50m breast.
PERSONAL: He was born Jan. 7, 1978, in Fukuoka, Japan. He plans to major in history at USC. He lists former Trojan All-Americans Lenny Krayzelburg and Bela Szabados as his biggest sports heroes. He learned about USC while surfing the internet, looking for a university at which to study abroad.
IMAI'S PERSONAL RECORDS:
| Event | Time |
| 100-meter breast | 1:03.55 |
| 200-meter breast | 2:18.47 |
