Inducted into the Louisiana Weightlifting Hall of Fame: November 26, 2021
Walter Imahara was arguably the most decorated athlete in the history of the university. He was the first Asian to attend the university in the mid-1950s and graduated with a degree in horticulture in 1960. At his university graduation President Fletcher handed him his diploma and announced to the crowd he was being dubbed the Asian-Cajun. Walter has proudly born that nickname during his life. In the fall of 1955, Imahara met Mike Stansbury, a weightlifting enthusiast, who said Imahara had a similar build to world weightlifting champion Tommy Kono, another Japanese-American, who like Walter, had survived a relocation camp during World War II.
Featherweight Imahara totaled 645 pounds, won first at 128 pounds and was All-American in leading SLI to the NCAA team title in 1957 in Lafayette. This was the first time an athletic team from the university had ever won a national title.
The 1959 NCAA national meet was held in Pittsburgh, and Imahara triumphed again with a 695-pound total. Another crown was his in 1960 in Maryland when Imahara had a 725-pound total en route to All-America and Best Lifter acclaim. (continued below photos)
Walter Imahara in 1960 at College Park, Maryland (left) Walter today (right).
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Imahara earned NCAA titles (1957, ‘59, ‘60), a Junior National crown (1960), Senior National titles in 1962, ‘63,’ 65, ‘66, ‘67 and ‘68, the 1967 Pan Am Games gold medal, Southern AAU (1956, ‘57, ‘58, ‘60, ‘64, ’65, ‘66, ‘68), the Louisiana State crown in 1956, ‘58, ‘59, ‘64, ‘65, ‘66), the Southern USA in 1960 and ‘64 and was the National Masters champion from 1980-2005 before retiring from competition. In Masters action, he held 68 national records, 35 Pan American marks and 42 World Masters-Masters Games records.
Walter has had a great life in Louisiana. After graduation from college in 1960 and his Army tour in Germany, he returned to Baton Rouge. He has been happily married to Sumi for 58 years. His career in the plant industry started at SLI in 1955. In 1968, they opened their first garden center and today the Imahara’s business is in its third generation. His siblings, with diplomas in hand, left Louisiana but he loved Louisiana and chose to remain here—and Louisiana loved him back. He will remain here the rest of his life even though his parents and siblings were born in California. Walter’s journey has been long, but his beginning was at SLI and he said he will never forget what the university did for him to have a meaningful life.