Toshisuke Kanazawa stepped onto the stage in Hiroshima this week and did something few people his age would even attempt, let alone win. At 90 years old, he took the top spot in the 85-and-over category at Japan’s annual masters bodybuilding championships, a competition that draws veteran lifters from across the country to show that age is no reason to put down the weights.
Kanazawa turned 90 just one day before the event, and the timing seemed to work in his favor. He faced six other competitors in his division, part of a field of roughly 200 athletes ranging from 41 to 90 years old who split into 13 separate categories over the course of the day.
The competition followed a two-stage format. During the preliminary round, the bodybuilders in the 85-and-over group performed the same routine together on stage, giving judges a chance to compare their conditioning side by side. The finals looked different: each athlete got a solo minute to free-pose, showing off their own style and strongest angles rather than following a set script.
When it was his turn, Kanazawa brought the crowd to life. Spectators cheered loudly as he moved through his routine, and by the time the judges settled on a winner, he had claimed the category.
His reaction afterward was simple and forward-looking. Kanazawa said “he will continue to aim for world records,” making clear that a national title at 90 is a milestone, not a finish line.
His approach to training reflects a long-term mindset rather than a quick fix. Kanazawa follows a strict vegetarian diet, a habit he has kept up alongside his workouts as he has continued competing well past the age when most people have long since retired from the sport.
