Father Time is undefeated, but there is one bodybuilder who is determined to change that. Japanese bodybuilder Toshisuke Kanazawa defied all odds when he entered a bodybuilding contest at the age of 86.
Kanazawa first gained popularity more than half a century ago when he first won the All-Japan Championship at the age of 24. He was crowned ‘Mr. Japan’ just three years later. When he was 34 years old, he decided to walk away from professional competition and remain on the sidelines for the next decade and a half. He returned to bodybuilding before his 50th birthday to motivate his wife, who was prone to illness.
On a mission to inspire his wife, Kanazawa returned to training three hours a day in the gym to re-prepare for competitions. The changed his diet by eliminating meat and fishand instead focused on incorporating rice-based meals, fermented soybeans, and miso soup with eggs. He also stopped smoking and drinking.
His efforts gave him the results he was looking for, as he won the Masters championships for bodybuilders 40 and over at age 57. In 2016, he received a special medal when he placed sixth in the 65+ division, setting the record for being the oldest competitor in Japan.
Toshisuke Kanazawa breaks his own record to become the oldest bodybuilder to compete in Japan
Toshisuke Kanazawa, 86, broke his own record to become the oldest bodybuilder to compete in bodybuilding. to show in Japan.
Kanazawa took to the stage at the 68th Japan Men’s Bodybuilding Championships in Osaka on October 9. Although he did not make the top 12 cut, it is a remarkable feat that he was able to compete against talent much younger than himself.
“I’m not close to the finish line yet,” he said. “It’s important to keep setting goals and taking on challenges no matter how old you are.”
Overall, I was happy with the result.
“I am grateful for the simple fact that I can participate,” he said. said. “I hope I can reach the hearts of others when they see me take on a challenge even in old age.”
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Throughout his career, Kanazawa has won the national championship 15 times overall and most recently placed second at the 34th Hokkaido Championships in August. According to the Instagram post made on his account, Kanazawa has no plans to slow down and intends to make an appearance at the World Masters Bodybuilding Championships in Spain next month.
