J14 – Kisenosato remporte son premier titre

Ozeki Kisenosato dispatched maegashira Ichinojo on Saturday and then cashed in on a slip-up by grand champion Hakuho to capture his long-awaited first championship at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament.

The championship might also mean a promotion to yokozuna for Kisenosato, something that was not officially on the table before the start of the tournament.

After a near false start by No. 13 maegashira Ichinojo, Kisenosato (13-1) allowed his opponent to take the initiative at the charge but wasted little time in wrapping up the Mongolian behemoth and bundling him out of the ring on the penultimate day of action in the 15-day Tokyo meet.

The Tagonoura stable grappler sealed victory when nearest challenger Hakuho was sentenced to a stunning defeat in the day’s finale against fellow Mongolian Takanoiwa, leaving both with 11-3 marks.

« I’m happy, » said the 30-year-old Kisenosato, who has finally shed his tag as sumo’s nearly man, having come close so often in the past to winning the title.

« I’ll do my work properly until the end. Tomorrow’s important, » said a tearful Kisenosato, who did not watch Hakuho’s bout. « I have nothing but gratitude to everyone (who has supported me). »

Sumo elder Nishonoseki, the director of the Japan Sumo Association’s judges division, indicated he will ask chairman Hakkaku to summon a board of directors’ meeting to discuss Kisenosato’s promotion to yokozuna before the final day of the tourney on Sunday.

Since 1989, eight out of the nine yokozuna assumed sumo’s ultimate rank after winning the two previous tournaments. Kakuryu, the last to earn promotion to yokozuna ahead of the May 2014 tourney, was 14-1 but lost in a playoff that January, but achieved promotion after a championship the following March.

Hideshige Moriya, the chair of yokozuna deliberation council which advises the JSA, said, « It’s better to win 14 but I think we can leave that now. I suppose we don’t need to put too much emphasis (on the result against Hakuho on Sunday). »

In a match between two wrestlers starting the day with 10-3 marks, Chinese No. 10 maegashira Sokokurai pulled off an upset by thrusting down komusubi Takayasu.

Top-ranked Mitakeumi pushed his win total into double figures, prevailing in a slugfest against eighth-ranked maegashira Hokutofuji, who dropped to 8-6.

Set for a drop to sekiwake from ozeki in March after back-to-back losing records, Kotoshogiku’s tournament took another downward turn after the 2016 New Year champion was forced out by third-ranked Ikioi (8-6) and condemned to his 10th loss.

Mongolian ozeki Terunofuji (4-10) suffered the same fate in the following bout as he was marched out of the ring by debutant sekiwake Shodai (6-8).

Written by Kyodo