By Horaci Garcia and Nina Lopez
SANTA SUSANNA, Spain, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Nonagenarian Japanese bodybuilder Toshisuke Kanazawa took to the stage on Spain's Costa del Maresme on Friday, aiming to prove that age is no barrier to peak physical fitness.
The 90-year-old travelled to the coastal town of Santa Susanna to compete against rivals decades his junior in the masters category for athletes aged 50 and older in a competition held by the International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation.
Backstage, Kanazawa mirrored the preparations of younger competitors, warming up with his team and applying spray tan before flexing under the stage lights.
"I like to try doing things that nobody else has done, and more than anything I want to pursue bodybuilding for the rest of my life," Kanazawa said.
Kanazawa credits his longevity and conditioning to strict dietary habits, saying that a routine established decades ago has kept him robust.
"This is something I've been researching and want to learn more about. But ever since I turned 50, I've been building muscle by eating a purely Japanese diet: brown rice, natto (a fermented soya bean dish)), and miso soup," he said.
"It's really the classic Japanese way of eating. And thanks to that, I've gone 90 years without ever getting sick."
Though he did not finish on the podium, Kanazawa remains focused on pushing the sport's boundaries, outlining plans for one final appearance before stepping away from competition.
"I'm thinking I might give it one more go at 93. After that, I'll probably have to retire," he said.
"As you get older, you start developing wrinkles, quite a lot of them. In Japan, there's this idea that once you get those wrinkles, it just doesn't look very good anymore."
Ultimately, Kanazawa hopes his perseverance inspires older generations to remain active and challenge conventional limits.
"Once you set your mind to something, you need to develop the mental strength and determination to see it through no matter what," Kanazawa said.
"I want people to work hard just as I have. I believe that if they do, we'll see more people like me even as they get older. That's what I hope for, and I want to be a good role model."
(Reporting by Horaci Garcia and Nina Lopez; Writing by Rory Carroll; Editing by Tom Hogue)
