86-year-old Japanese bodybuilding champion impresses the world

Getting older doesn't mean you have to stop doing what makes you feel alive, and Toshisuke Kanazawa is proof of that. The 86-year-old Japanese bodybuilder recently competed in the Japanese Bodybuilding Championship and broke his own record by becoming the oldest person to do so in Japan.

Credit: toshisuke.kanazawa / Instagram

Toshisuke Kanazawa, who lives in Hiroshima, participated in the 68th edition of the championship in Osaka against men much younger than him. This is the second year in a row that he has taken part in the national championship, which he has already won twice in the past. Although he did not reach the 12 finalists, he was not disappointed but rather grateful to have had the opportunity to participate. “I hope to be able to touch the hearts of others when they see me taking on a challenge, even in old age” did he declare.

L' octogenarian began competing seriously at the age of 20, and won the Japan Championship for the first time four years later. At 27 he won his second Mister Japan title, and at 34 he decided he had had enough and retired. However, he makes a comeback before he turns 50, to encourage his wife, as he explains, who was prone to health issues. He remembered that nothing had made her happier than when he was winning, and so he decided to get back to training, tweaking his diet, and starting over. He quit smoking and drinking, cut meat and fish from his diet, and returned to meals consisting mainly of rice, fermented soy beans, and miso soup with eggs, and began spending three hours a day in the gym sport .

At 57, Toshisuke Kanazawa has won the Masters Championships for 40+ bodybuilders, and he's been the Japanese champion a total of 15 times. In 2016, he reached sixth place in the world in a competition for bodybuilders over 65, and earned his special medal as the oldest competitor. The fitness fanatic has no plans to retire anytime soon, and aspires to continue competing for at least another four years.

Credit: toshisuke.kanazawa / Instagram

Credit: toshisuke.kanazawa / Instagram

He's aiming for the 100-year mark

He finished second in the 34th edition of the Japanese Masters Championship held in Hokkaido in August 2022, and he was invited to the world championships in November in Spain. “I'm still far from the finish line. It's important to keep setting goals and challenging yourself, no matter what your age. I would like to set an example for other grandfathers and grandmothers in the world by living healthy until I am 100 years old” he explained to our colleagues from the local daily The Mainichi.

Impressive, isn't it?

Credit: toshisuke.kanazawa / Instagram