🏈THE NEW SUPERBOD ERA

Six contenders proving that the strongest thing you can build is a life with purpose

For two decades, Century Tuna Superbods has been one of the Philippines’ most recognizable fitness competitions, celebrating physiques, discipline, confidence, and the drive to become a better version of oneself. But as the competition enters its 20th year, the definition of a Superbod is evolving. The 2026 “Superbod Era” looks beyond the body—to the stories, struggles, identities, and advocacies that make each contender worth watching.

The official Top 40 finalists emerged from a callback that brought together fitness enthusiasts, athletes, beauty titlists, creators, coaches, parents, and trailblazers from different walks of life. Among them are six standout personalities whose journeys prove that fitness is never simply about looking good. It is about showing up, pushing through, finding purpose, and using your platform to inspire someone else to do the same. We spotlight Rov Mizuse, Lorenzo Isip, Chucel Njigha, Prince De Guzman, Ashley Cayuca, and Kim Panique—six Superbod contenders who are making the competition personal, purposeful, and undeniably COOL.

The Resilient One

Capricorn | @rovmizuse

A content creator, former cheerleader, makeup artist, ballet dancer, and a COOL Mom, Rov Mizuse has built a life around movement, reinvention, and resilience. She speaks three languages and has spent years carving out her own name in the content industry while using her platform to explore the world with her children. Her current obsession is longevity and intentional wellness—a lifestyle that prioritizes feeling strong, grounded, and healthy for the long run. Even her workout soundtrack has personality: Vivaldi’s “Winter,” reimagined as techno, is the kind of unexpected combination that perfectly matches her approach to fitness.

But Rov’s Superbod journey runs deeper than aesthetics. She has completed the Spartan Trifecta and plans to take on more races, but the achievement closest to her heart is her ability to keep moving forward through life’s hardest seasons. Century Tuna Superbods is particularly personal for her, carrying the memory of her late partner, who was a finalist in 2022. Returning to the competition meant confronting grief while rediscovering the fighter within herself. “When you go through difficult seasons, process deep pain, and continue showing up for your life, your family, and your goals, you develop a rare kind of empathy and unbreakable resilience.” For Rov, being a Superbod is ultimately about turning survival into strength—and challenging the idea that there is only one body, age, or beauty standard worth aspiring to.

The Comeback King

Gemini | @Lorenzo

Lorenzo Isip knows that sometimes the hardest transformation is the one that happens after you have stepped away from the spotlight. After taking a break from pageantry, gaining weight, and navigating health challenges, Lorenzo made his way back into shape—not simply to change how he looked, but to reclaim a part of himself. Away from the gym, he is happiest on an island, surfing and swimming, while his current obsession is an unexpectedly classic combination: peanut butter and jelly. His competitive side comes out most naturally on the basketball court, where he continues to play in community leagues and stay connected with fellow athletes.

For Lorenzo, the Superbod stage is an opportunity to turn his own comeback into something bigger. His advocacy, 5Bs: Building Better Bodies Beyond Basketball, aims to encourage young athletes to think beyond performance and build healthier bodies, stronger minds, and better habits for life. “Winning Century Tuna Superbods would be a plus for me, but what matters most is having a platform and the visibility to use my story for my advocacy.” It is a philosophy that makes his journey especially relevant: fitness is not only about winning the game you are currently playing, but about preparing yourself for everything that comes after it.

The Fearless Competitor

Aries | @chucel_

Chucel Njigha has always understood what it means to earn your place. A UAAP volleyball player who also competed in the Shakey’s League, Chucel grew up dreaming of stepping onto the same court where their sporting idols made history. Getting there required years of sweat, tears, sacrifice, and persistence—and every obstacle became part of the story. Today, the athlete is expanding that competitive mindset beyond volleyball, training toward a first HYROX and marathon while experimenting with plyometric workouts, saunas, and cold plunges. And in a very relatable twist, Chucel’s fun fact is as Filipino as it gets: balut once a week.

Yet the biggest goal is not simply another medal or finish line. Chucel wants to become the representation they wished they had growing up—proof that ambition does not have to fit inside a predetermined box. “I want to use the stage to show that you are far more capable than you think. The box that you believe you fit into is bigger once you let yourself discover the world and believe in yourself.” That mindset is what makes Chucel a true competitor: someone who sees every challenge not as a limitation, but as another invitation to go further.

The Creator Who Keeps Evolving

Gemini | @theprincedeguzman

Prince De Guzman has never been afraid of transformation. A creator known for elaborate characters and heavy prosthetics, Prince began creating content in 2017 but spent his first five years behind the makeup before finding the confidence to show his own face. That journey helped him build an extraordinary online community of nearly four million followers worldwide, while his creative work earned recognition from some of the biggest names and studios in global entertainment. He has also represented the Philippines at pop culture conventions across nearly 20 countries in a single year, bringing his artistry—and increasingly, his fitness journey—to audiences around the world. His playlist is equally unapologetic: Lady Gaga’s Mayhem, Ghost, and anime opening themes.

Now, Prince is bringing that same hunger for reinvention to the Superbod stage. Unlike many competitors, he does not see fitness as a destination with a final form. “Being a Superbod is a process of achieving and setting a bigger goal all over again.” His current mission is to inspire his massive community to make healthier choices and become better versions of themselves. From prosthetics and pop culture to strength and wellness, Prince proves that authenticity can take many forms—and that sometimes the most powerful transformation is simply becoming brave enough to show people who you really are.

The Community Builder

Cancer | @ashleycayuca

Before running and fitness became central to her life, Ashley Cayuca was a varsity basketball player for DLSU. Today, her athletic world spans marathons, HYROX, and a growing obsession with Olympic lifting. She has raced HYROX Mixed Doubles in Singapore and Hong Kong, completed marathons including Berlin, and is currently training for the Sydney Marathon. Her music choices depend on the workout: hip-hop for lifting, house for running. But perhaps her most impressive achievement isn't a race time or a personal record—it is building Just Show Up Club, a community created around the simple idea that people can become healthier by moving together.

Ashley’s Superbod goal is therefore bigger than her own performance. She wants to make fitness feel accessible, welcoming, and less intimidating for people who may not see themselves as “fit” yet. “You don’t have to look a certain way or already be ‘fit’ to belong.” That belief sits at the heart of everything she does. For Ashley, the body is only the beginning; the real impact comes from the people you bring along with you. And if the Superbod Era is about making wellness more inclusive, Ashley is already living that mission—one run, lift, race, and community at a time.

The Barrier Breaker

Capricorn | @iamkimbat

Kim Panique is making history. A proud trans man and advocate for trans men in fitness, Kim is the first openly trans man to compete in the male category of Century Tuna Superbods 2026—a milestone that represents far more than a competition placement. His journey has been shaped by strength, self-acceptance, perseverance, and the determination to keep becoming. He has competed in Spartan races, including a 10K Super Race with 25 obstacles, and is working toward his Spartan Trifecta while also taking on hybrid fitness challenges and setting his sights on HYROX. His playlist keeps the energy high, moving between tracks like “Desire” by Ian Asher, Olly Alexander and Birdy’s “Keeping Your Head Up.”

For Kim, the ultimate Superbod is not defined by a mirror. It is defined by strength, resilience, and authenticity—and by making other people believe that they belong, too. “I want to use my platform to break barriers and show other trans men that there is a place for us in fitness, sports, and every space where we choose to show up.” His presence on the Superbod stage is itself a statement: representation matters, visibility matters, and the definition of who gets to be strong is bigger than it has ever been.

WHY THEY’RE COOL

What makes these six contenders COOL-worthy is not simply the fact that they have impressive bodies, athletic backgrounds, or the discipline to compete on one of the country’s biggest fitness stages. It is the fact that each of them brings something beyond the physique: a story worth telling and a reason worth rooting for.

Rov turns grief and motherhood into resilience. Lorenzo transforms a personal comeback into an advocacy for young athletes. Chucel is breaking through the limits of representation. Prince is proving that reinvention can become a superpower. Ashley is building a community where everyone gets to belong. Kim is opening doors that were once closed. Together, they embody the new Century Tuna Superbod: not perfect, not one-dimensional, and not confined to a single definition of what “fit” looks like. They are athletes, creators, advocates, parents, leaders, and people still becoming. And that is exactly what makes this new Superbod Era worth watching. #CoolisinSession #Superbods #CoolVarsity

Photography: Rxandy Capinpin

Shoot Associate: Royd Loyola

Styling: Dave Arden and Jazie Deshawn

Styling Associate: Joanna Lima

Makeup: Lars Cabanacan

Hair: Wei Wei Saculo

Special thanks to: Gee Plamenco and The Purple Wok