The 2023 Japan Pro took over the heart of Tokyo on November 26, 2023, for a showdown of the world’s best Men’s Open, Men’s Physique, and Bikini bodybuilding competitors. The winners of this event earned tickets to the 2024 Mr. Olympia competition.
As per Dan Solomon, the Mr. Olympia President, the 2024 Mr. Olympia will celebrate the organization’s 60th anniversary next year. The event will return to Las Vegas, Nevada from October 10-13 inside the World Resort Los Angeles Convention Center.
With such an exciting lineup, competitors put on a razor-tight show on Sunday. From memorable posing routines to the freakish muscle mass displayed in the Open class, this year’s Japan Pro wasn’t short on entertainment.
2023 Japan Pro Winners
- Men’s Open: Theo Leguerrier
- Men’s Physique: Jo Uezato
- Bikini: Ashley Kaltwasser
2023 Japan Pro Results Breakdown
Men’s Open
With early opportunities for competitors to stamp their way to the 2024 Mr. Olympia, athletes delivered an exciting event in Tokyo. The muscle quality and shape of Theo Leguerrier’s physique posed a unique challenge for his adversaries. Known for being incredibly active from season to season, Theo Leguerrier last competed at the 2023 Mr. Olympia in 13th place.
Meanwhile, Alfred Chiriac was in the running for gold, having displayed exceptional conditioning throughout the prejudging and finals. The dryness Chiriac brought this weekend turned him into a strong contender for the title. Chiriac last stepped on stage at the 2023 Romania Muscle Fest Pro in seventh place. After a close show, Theo Leguerrier won the Open Bodybuilding title, securing his qualification for next year’s Olympia. Alfred Chiriac and Liang Yan finished second and third.
- Winner — Theo Leguerrier
- Second Place — Alfred Chiriac
- Third Place — Liang Yan
- Fourth Place — Roman Fritz
- Fifth Place — Vitor Boff
- Sixth Place — Errol Moore
- Seventh Place — Dawei Zhou
- Eighth Place — Pavel Beran
- Ninth Place — Chengrui Zhang
- Tenth Place — Sungeun Jeon
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Men’s Physique
In the Men’s Physique category, Jo Uezato shined from the moment he took center stage. With an aesthetic structure and impressive arms, Uezato brought a more refined version of his look. Judging by how hard each competitor pushed through prejudging, fans were in for a close battle.
Another frontrunner aiming to take home gold was Yoon Sung Lee. Yoon Sung Lee is a proven force in the Men’s Physique division. His last appearance saw him finish outside the top 15 at the prestigious 2023 Mr. Olympia competition. Following some close comparisons, Jo Uezato took home first place. Yoon Sung Lee and Juxian He claimed second and third place.
- Winner — Jo Uezato
- Second Place — Yoon Sung Lee
- Third Place — Juxian He
- Fourth Place — Yukihiro Yuasa
- Fifth Place — Farouq Ishimoto
- Sixth Place — Jumpei Taguchi
- Seventh Place — Mohammad Ali
- Eighth Place — Puwanat Putoya
- Ninth Place — Seyed Navid Seyed Ali Nejad
- Tenth Place — Joshua Eng Cherng Shin
Bikini
When Bikini contenders got to work, it didn’t take long for Ashley Kaltwasser to assert herself as a commanding favorite. Having just recently taken third at the 2023 Ms. Bikini Olympia, Kaltwasser has competed at the highest level for years. She also is famous for staying active each season. Just last week, Kaltwasser, the former three-time Bikini Olympia winner, took home gold at the 2023 Shawn Ray Hawaiian Classic.
Aside from Kaltwasser, Jiaqi Wei looked exceptional, having brought a balance of symmetry and fullness. Recently taking second place at the 2023 Monsterzym Pro, Wei improved leaps and bounds from her last on-stage appearance. However, she couldn’t stop the skill and momentum of Ashley Kaltwasser, who secured another title. Jiaqi Wei and Yurika Shigemoto finished second and third.
- Winner — Ashley Kaltwasser
- Second Place — Jiaqi Wei
- Third Place — Yurika Shigemoto
- Fourth Place — Liling Wang
- Fifth Place — Rena Ajima
- Sixth Place — Xinyi Chen
- Seventh Place — Wing Shan Amanda Lam
- Eighth Place — Zhao Dong
- Ninth Place — Elizaveta Shmulker
- Tenth Place — Miharu Kurachi
2023 Japan Pro Scorecards
That wraps up all the bodybuilding action in Tokyo, where competitors took part in war after war in pursuit of the sport’s greatest honor — a chance to stand atop the Olympia mountain as the number one bodybuilder in the world.
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