Haruka Imai(今井 遥, Imai Haruka; born August 31, 1993) is a Japanese former figure skater. She has won nine senior international medals and competed at three Four Continents Championships, placing as high as fourth. She is the 2008 Japanese Junior national champion.

Personal life

Imai was born on August 31, 1993 in Tokyo, Japan.

In July 2024, she married fellow retired figure skater, Yu Nakamura.

Career

Imai began skating at age 9. In the 2008–09 season, Imai began competing on the Junior Grand Prix series. She won her JGP event in Belarus and went on to win the Japanese Junior title. She was 16th at the 2009 World Junior Championships. In 2009, Imai won bronze at her sole JGP event, in Hungary. She placed 6th on the senior level at the Japan Championships and was assigned to the 2010 Four Continents Championships, where she placed 5th. In 2010, Imai won gold at the Ondrej Nepela Memorial and debuted on the senior Grand Prix series, placing 5th at the 2010 Skate Canada International and 6th at the 2010 Trophee Eric Bompard.

In summer 2011, Imai sustained a stress fracture in her foot, keeping her off the ice for about two months. In September 2011, she moved to Detroit to be coached by Yuka Sato and Jason Dungjen. She won bronze at the 2012 Nebelhorn Trophy. Imai returned to Japan in 2013, joining Rumiko Michigami. She won gold at the 2013 Ondrej Nepela Trophy. At the Japan Championships, Imai finished 5th.

She retired from competitive figure skating in 2018. In late 2025, she and her husband, Yu Nakamura, began working as coaches at the "MAO RINK" in Tachikawa, Tokyo, a figure skating rink that was opened by Mao Asada the previous year.

Programs

SeasonShort programFree skatingExhibition
2015–16Malagueña by Ernesto Lecuona choreo. by Pasquale CamerlengoPiano Concerto in A-flat major by Saint-Preux choreo. by Pasquale Camerlengo
2014–15Giselle by Adolphe Adam choreo. by Phillip Mills
2013–14Song without words in D major, Op.109 by Felix Mendelssohn choreo. by Natalia Bestemianova, Igor BobrinPiano Concerto in A-flat major by Saint-Preux choreo. by Pasquale Camerlengo
2012–13Charade (1963 film)Divertimento in B flat major, K. 137 (Salzburg Symphony No. 2): II. Allegro di molto Violin Sonata in F major, K. 376 (374d): II. Andante Eine kleine Nachtmusik (Serenade No. 13 for strings in G major), K. 525: IV Rondo: AllegroPure Imagination
2011–12Song without words in D major, Op.109 by Felix Mendelssohn choreo. by Yuka SatoMy Fair Lady (modern arrangement) choreo. by Yuka SatoI'm into Something Good by The Bird and the Bee choreo. by Yuka Sato
2010–11Gypsy Dance (from Don Quixote) by Ludwig MinkusPolovtsian Dances by Alexander BorodinCartoon Heroes by Aqua
2009–10Fiesta Flamenca by Monty KellyRaymonda by Alexander Glazunov
2008–09The Barber of Seville by Gioachino RossiniFinding Neverland by Jan A. P. KaczmarekSomewhere by Sweetbox

Competitive highlights

GP: Grand Prix; CS: Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

International
Event07–0808–0909–1010–1111–1212–1313–1414–1515–1616–17
Four Continents5th9th4th
GP Bompard6th8th9th
GP Cup of China6th
GP NHK Trophy8th
GP Rostelecom6th9th
GP Skate America4th5th8th10th
GP Skate Canada5th
CS Nepela Trophy5th
Asian Games2nd
Autumn Classic2nd
Challenge Cup2nd
Cup of Nice3rd
Gardena3rd2nd
Ice Challenge5th
Nebelhorn Trophy3rd
Nepela Trophy1st1st
International: Junior
Junior Worlds16th
JGP Belarus1st
JGP Hungary3rd
National
Japan Champ.14th6th12th4th14th5th11th15th19th
Japan Junior7th1st2nd
WD = Withdrew

Detailed results

Small medals for short program and free skating awarded only at ISU Championships.

2013–14 season
DateEventLevelSPFSTotal
January 20–26, 20142014 Four Continents ChampionshipsSenior3 62.726 112.684 175.40
December 20–23, 20132013–14 Japan ChampionshipsSenior6 60.634 125.535 186.16
November 22–24, 20132013 Cup of RussiaSenior8 49.559 95.759 145.30
November 1–3, 20132013 Cup of ChinaSenior5 54.796 95.516 150.30
October 3–5, 20132013 Ondrej Nepela TrophySenior2 52.711 110.931 163.64
2012–13 season
DateEventLevelSPFSTotal
April 1–3, 20132013 Gardena Spring TrophySenior7 46.672 107.522 154.19
December 20–24, 20122012–13 Japan ChampionshipsSenior18 47.3013 90.6214 137.92
November 23–25, 20122012 NHK TrophySenior9 48.108 97.328 145.42
October 19–21, 20122012 Skate AmericaSenior7 49.904 107.825 157.72
September 27–29, 20122012 Nebelhorn TrophySenior9 47.703 105.943 153.64
2011–12 season
DateEventLevelSPFSTotal
February 7–12, 20122012 Four Continents ChampionshipsSenior11 45.199 89.309 134.49
December 22–26, 20112011–12 Japan ChampionshipsSenior5 57.825 108.854 166.67
November 25–27, 20112011 Cup of RussiaSenior6 55.206 99.566 154.76
October 21–23, 20112011 Skate AmericaSenior4 54.679 88.274 142.94
2010–11 season
DateEventLevelSPFSTotal
March 31 – April 1, 20112011 Gardena Spring TrophySenior2 47.893 88.433 136.32
January 3–5, 20112011 Asian Winter GamesSenior2 54.022 112.982 167.00
December 24–27, 20102010–11 Japan ChampionshipsSenior17 45.9611 93.5912 139.55
November 26–28, 20102010 Trophée Eric BompardSenior3 58.389 87.096 145.47
October 28–31, 20102010 Skate CanadaSenior6 52.523 102.025 154.54
Sept. 30 – Oct. 2, 20102010 Ondrej Nepela MemorialSenior1 54.612 87.011 141.62
2009–10 season
DateEventLevelSPFSTotal
January 25–31, 20102010 Four Continents ChampionshipsSenior5 55.066 100.235 155.29
December 25–27, 20092009–10 Japanese ChampionshipsSenior7 55.986 110.186 166.16
November 21–23, 20092009–10 Japan Junior ChampionshipsJunior3 49.822 94.152 143.97
November 4–8, 20092009 Coupe de NiceSenior3 51.463 90.003 141.46
Oct. 28 – Nov. 1, 20092009 Ice ChallengeSenior5 52.485 83.145 135.62
August 26–29, 20092009 Junior Grand Prix, HungaryJunior4 47.953 83.183 131.13
2008–09 season
DateEventLevelSPFSTotal
Feb. 23 – March 1, 20092009 World Junior ChampionshipsJunior17 43.5816 69.6616 113.24
December 10–142008–09 Japan ChampionshipsSenior16 43.8614 77.5314 121.39
November 23–24, 20082008–09 Japan Junior ChampionshipsJunior2 53.054 91.101 144.15
October 1–4, 20082008 Junior Grand Prix, BelarusJunior3 47.601 97.401 145.00
2007–2008 season
DateEventLevelSPFSTotal
November 24–25, 20072007–08 Japan Junior ChampionshipsJunior7 43.429 76.577 119.99
  • Coupe de Nice Senior Ladies Results 2009-11-10 at the Wayback Machine
  • Ice Challenge Senior Ladies Results

External links

Media related to Haruka Imai at Wikimedia Commons