Who is Team Japan's Nonoka Ozaki on Physical: Asia? Everything we know about the freestyle wrestler

Nonoka Ozaki, the 22-year-old Japanese freestyle wrestler, is a world and Asian champion competing in Netflix’s Physical: Asia alongside elite athletes from eight countries.

Her wrestling base, rapid ascent, and young age combine to make her one of the more intriguing competitors in the series.

As the show advances, watching how she adapts from mat to arena will be a highlight for fans of genuine athletic crossover.

Physical: Asia — Nonoka Ozaki’s profile

Ozaki appears on Japan’s national team roster for Physical: Asia, where she joins her compatriots in representing their country.

Born on 23 March 2003, Ozaki plays into the national-team athlete category: she is a Japanese freestyle wrestler competing in the senior women’s category.

According to her public profile, she has won multiple international competitions in the 62-68kg weight categories since 2018.

Her achievements, when placed in the context of Physical: Asia, mean Ozaki arrives on the show with bona fide world-class credentials.

The series’ format—physical endurance, team coordination, cross-discipline challenges—makes her wrestling base relevant, even though Physical: Asia tasks vary far beyond mats and takedowns.

In an athlete profile, her background was summarised as,

“Born on 23 March 2003, Nonoka Ozaki is a rising star in Japanese women’s freestyle wrestling. At just 22, she’s already earned a bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the 68kg women’s freestyle division. She is also a two-time gold medalist at both the World Wrestling Championships and the Asian Wrestling Championships.”

Her Instagram handle is: nonoka_ozaki, where she has over 83k followers and posts regularly about her achievements and daily life events.

Her inclusion in Physical: Asia shows Japan building a team of athletes with deep sport-specific experience who can adapt to the show’s mixed-discipline nature.

Whereas some cast members may come from entertainment or crossover athletics, Ozaki offers high-performance sport credentials in wrestling, which implies she may bring an advantage in strength, grappling, and burst-movement tasks.

Background & major accomplishments

Ozaki’s career in freestyle wrestling has been notable for rapid ascent: she won the girls’ freestyle 57 kg event at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics, defeated Anna Szél of Hungary in the final.

She later claimed the women’s 62 kg gold at the 2022 World Wrestling Championships in Belgrade and repeated success in 2023, winning the 65 kg world title in Belgrade.

Most recently, she won at the 2024 Asian Wrestling Championships in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, in the 68 kg division.

She then took bronze in the 68 kg class at the 2024 Summer Olympics, defeating Blessing Oborududu of Nigeria in the bronze-medal match.

Her club affiliation is with Team Seiko, and she is based in Tokyo, Japan.

In a profile published by Seiko, her athlete statement included:

“I realize that to compete against the top wrestlers, I have to raise my level both technically and physically.”

Those words, uttered in late 2024 ahead of a national event, reflect her mindset of continuous improvement.

Role on Physical: Asia

On Physical: Asia, the emphasis is on team performance across large-scale physical tasks — sand-dune captures, obstacle gauntlets, endurance relays, and elimination rounds.

Team Japan’s selection of Ozaki signals they value athletes who bring not only raw power but refined technique and competitive temperament.

Ozaki’s wrestling background gives her a base of strength-endurance, core stability, and mental focus under pressure.

As the show progresses, each athlete’s crossover skill will be tested: wrestlers like Ozaki may excel in manual-strength arenas or body-control segments; however, they must also adapt to team relay formats and terrain-based objectives.

That dual demand reflects the core challenge of Physical: Asia. Her presence may also influence team strategy.

While many televised profiles of Physical: Asia highlight former Olympians, CrossFit stars, and combat-sport athletes with media presence, Ozaki stands out for her youth and championship resume—all of which enhances Team Japan’s depth.

For viewers, she offers a clean story of sport-specific excellence moving into a broader athletic game format.

Stay tuned for more updates.