A 90-year-old bodybuilder has proved age is no barrier after winning at a major competition, just a day after celebrating his milestone 90th birthday.
Toshisuke Kanazawa, who has spent nearly seven decades around the sport, achieved his long-held aim of competing at 90 by winning the 85-and-over category at the All Japan Masters Fitness Championships in Hiroshima, Japan.
The historic win came on Sunday, August 30, exactly one day after Kanazawa turned 90, cementing his status as Japan’s oldest competitive bodybuilder.
The annual veteran event was staged in his hometown of Hiroshima and drew around 200 athletes aged 41 to 90, competing across 13 age brackets.
Kanazawa faced six rivals in the 85-and-over division. After a synchronised preliminary round, he brought the crowd to a roar with his individual one-minute free-posing routine, clinching what was reported as his 17th Masters championship title.
Kanazawa began as a competitive swimmer before taking up bodybuilding at 20.
He enjoyed early success as he won the prestigious Mister Japan title twice, at ages 24 and 27, before retiring from competition at 34.
After stepping back from the sport entirely for 16 years, he returned to intense training at 50 in a bid to motivate and encourage his wife, who was prone to illness.
His approach to staying lean is famously strict. Kanazawa gave up meat and fish decades ago and keeps himself in contest shape with a clean diet based around brown rice, fermented soybeans (natto), eggs and miso soup.
After the win, he told reporters: “Every year the wrinkles increase and my strength decreases.
“Overcoming that with effort is my way of living.” He is said to be continuing his training and chasing world records.
In an Instagram caption celebrating the result, Kanazawa wrote: “Achieved my 17th national title! Thanks to everyone’s support, I was able to secure my 17th championship victory, including 15 Japan Masters titles (and 2 Japan Championship titles).
“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude, as this is all thanks to everyone’s incredible support and various efforts. Next, I am scheduled to compete in the Japan Championships on October 6th, so I appreciate your continued support.
“Thank you very much.”