Who is Team Japan's Katsumi Nakamura in Physical: Asia? Details explored

Physical: Asia alum Katsumi Nakamura is one of the athletes from team Japan. The 31-year-old is an Olympic swimmer who had previously represented Japan at the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Nakamura has been a member of Japan's national swim team since 2015, as he is the country's national record holder for the men's 100-meter freestyle. 

Katsumi Nakamura currently runs a fitness channel on YouTube. Nakamura was just 12 when he started swimming and was later enrolled in the School of Sport Sciences at Waseda University. 

The Tokyoite swimmer specialises in the 50m and 100m freestyle events. He has also been a member of Japan’s national swim team since 2015, while being the country’s national record holder for the men’s 100m freestyle under 48 seconds. 

Katsumi Nakamura is one of the contestants of Netflix's new spin-off show, Physical: Asia. Show creator Jang Ho-gi has gathered contestants who are Olympic medalists to fit athletes.

The challenges include "Korean ssireum, Mongolian Bökh wrestling, Turkish oil wrestling, and Muay Thai."

Physical: Asia alum Katsumi Nakamura displayed great sportsmanship during Quest 1

During Physical: Asia Before Quest 1: Territory Conquest, the contestants were required to fight for possession of a circular platform on top of a dune.

Nakamura soon expressed his concerns as the match was going to be brutal, as he had never “collided or had contact with anyone in sports.”

Nakamura was struggling when he was dragged by Physical: 100 Season 1 fan favourite Yun Sung-bin. Nakamura stated that he was “terrified by the former national skeleton racer’s beast-like strength, as he further admitted to be determined enough to fight back when he saw his teammates doing their utmost to hold off their opponents.”

As the renowned swimmer continued to pull his weight while displaying great fighting spirit, he was finally able to pin down the South Korean ssireum wrestler Kim Min-jae, who weighs 140kg.

Is Katsumi Nakamura married? 

Katsumi Nakamura is married to actress Umika Kawashima. The actress confirmed the marriage on social media back in 2024, and she wrote, 

"Thank you for your continued support, I have an update. It's personal, but I, Umika Kawashima and Katsumi Nakamura have entered into [marriage]. I am still learning and have many areas where I can improve, but with his support, I aim to keep moving forward with strength and perseverance.”

"I'm attracted to his kindness and his strength to push straight toward his goals. I admire him very much. I'm still an underdog and still have a lot of things I can't achieve, but I want to continue to work hard with him by my side."

Stay tuned for more updates.