Cover Who are your favourites from ‘Physical: Asia’? (Photo: @itoiyoshio_7 / Instagram)
Who are your favourites from ‘Physical: Asia’? (Photo: @itoiyoshio_7 / Instagram)
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The athletes in ‘Physical: Asia’ have worked odd jobs, broken barriers and...sold fruit
If you thought Physical: 100 was intense, wait until you meet its regional counterpart—Physical: Asia. Netflix’s new spin on the viral fitness phenomenon brings together the region’s strongest, fastest and most formidable competitors, from Türkiye to Australia, for a dramatic test of endurance. From national athletes and Hyrox champions to boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, these contenders aren’t just flexing muscle—they’re fighting for national pride. And because we know you’ve already picked your favourites, here’s a round-up of trivia and behind-the-scenes facts about the contestants everyone’s talking about.
In case you missed it: ‘Physical: Asia’: 8 breakout athletes who pushed past limits and stole the spotlight
1. Superbon Singha Mawynn (Thailand) has a business degree
Superbon Singha Mawynn is arguably the third-most popular athlete in Physical Asia, after Philippine captain and eight-time boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, and Australia captain and former UFC Middleweight Champion Robert Whittaker. Sports fans know him as the current One Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion, and that he started training in Muay Thai when he was six years old. However, not many know that he holds a business degree from Rattana Bundit University, according to muaythai.com. He committed fully to martial arts only after graduating.
2. James Rusameekae Fagerlund (Thailand) peddles dried fruit snacks
Much has been said about scene-stealing James Rusameekae Fagerlund, who entered the Physical: Asia arena in a sleeveless coat and YSL heels. He’s a personal friend of Lisa (and was even present at her birthday party), won a celebrity boxing tournament, acted in several films and hosted several shows. He also owns Buay Rusameekae, a brand of pickled plum, tamarind, banana, pineapple and mango snacks.
3. Enkh Orgil Baatarkhuu (Mongolia) trained through hard labour
Above Enkh Orgil Baatarkhuu details his childhood in this candid interview.
Enkh Orgil Baatarkhuu’s origin story is less about glitzy titles and more about sheer perseverance: before the spotlight, he did hard labour—mining in Mongolia and doing odd jobs to make ends meet. Growing up in Khovd, herding animals and later working physically demanding jobs, he developed a resilience suited for the challenge-based show. On Physical: Asia, that means he isn’t just relying on athletic skill, but the mental grit to push through when fatigue sets in.
4. Justin Coveney (Philippines) is a lawyer
Rugby player and Team Philippines captain Justin Coveney is a certified World Rugby Level 1 and 2 Strength Coach, but in case you need legal services, you might want to message him. He’s a lawyer and not in the Gerard Butler kind of way. He actually practised the profession in Australia.
5. Alexandra Milne (Australia) is half-Filipino
There has been a lot of debate about whether Australia and Turkiye should have been in Physical: Asia. Australian representative Alexandra Milne may be deserving of her position in the competition. Like Coveney, she is half-Australian and half-Filipino. A former competitive cheerleader and netball/track athlete, she turned her gym-obsessed youth into a full-time fitness-coach career, guiding women in strength training.
6. Gantogtokh ‘Handa’ Khandsuren (Mongolia) is sports royalty
Mongolian volleyball player Handa Khandsuren has played in the Philippines and Taiwan before signing up with Japanese teams. Her athletic prowess may be natural. Her grandfather, Khorloo Bayanmunkh, is a 10-time national Bokh champion (the second most successful one in history), who also has World Championship and Olympic medals in freestyle wrestling. Khandsuren’s father is also a respected Bokh wrestler.
Apart from her athletic skills, Khandsuren also speaks five languages.
7. Yoshio Itoi (Japan) loves to help others
The former baseball player is known for winning the Physical: 100-esque show Final Draft. After winning Final Draft, Yoshio Itoi revealed that he planned to use his JPY27 million prize to support wheelchair athletes. This is hardly the first time Itoi has committed to charity. For the past few years, Itoi has been producing and promoting a premium brand of Koshihikari rice called “Superman Rice”, grown in his hometown of Yosano, Kyoto Prefecture. Part of the proceeds is used to buy sports equipment for local elementary schools.
8. Mark ‘Mugen’ Striegl (Philippines) is a formidable MMA fighter
Mark Striegl’s tenacity won everyone’s hearts, not just James Rusameekae’s. But that grit may have come from years of fighting. Born in Tokyo to a Filipina mother and German-American father, based in Baguio, Striegl won gold in sambo at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games. However, he also holds a respectable professional MMA record (18 wins, 5 losses). His grappling skills are no joke, and most of his wins have been via submission.
9. Katsumi Nakamura (Japan) holds an impressive swimming record
Katsumi Nakamura’s visuals are so striking that even Physical: 100 Season 2 winner Amotti thought he was a model. He’s not technically a model, although his wife is actress Umika Kawashima. Nakamura has his own achievements. He is a two-time Olympian (2016 and 2020) and has won a World Championship bronze. He is also the first Japanese swimmer to swim under 48 seconds in a 100-metre swim.
10. Yasemin Adar Yiğit (Turkiye) is a woman of firsts
All the wrestlers in Physical: Asia paid attention when Yasemin Adar Yiğit entered the room. She gave Turkiye its first-ever Olympic, World and European medals in Women’s Wrestling. She won an Olympic bronze, two World golds and is a seven-time European champion.
Sasha Lim-Uy Mariposa is a lifestyle journalist who is known for her food writing. Based in Manila, she also covers entertainment and dining, as well as a broad range of topics. She was the former digital editor at Esquire Philippines and was the digital managing editor at Spot.ph, and now writes for the different Tatler Asia markets as a contributing writer for T-Labs.
