ID :
134656
Mon, 07/26/2010 - 08:18
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/134656
The shortlink copeid
Sumo: Hakuho 1st to three-peat with perfect 15-0 records+
NAGOYA, July 25 Kyodo - Just call him superman. A day after capturing his 15th career title, Mongolian grand champion Hakuho
capped off a stellar performance with a superhuman feat against ozeki Baruto on Sunday, making him the only man in the history of sumo to win three consecutive meets with perfect 15-0 records.
With a victory over the Estonian man-mountain in a mouthwatering final match of
the 15-day Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament, Hakuho stretched his personal winning
streak to 47 bouts.
In the finale, Hakuho held off a rampage from Baruto (8-7), who shook the
yokozuna to and fro with his massive frame, in front of a riveted auditorium at
Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium.
But never one to shrink from a challenge, Hakuho reached deep into his energy
reserves before finding a way to dump the ozeki with one mighty left-handed
overarm throw, causing fans to erupt with cheers and fling ''zabuton'' cushions
around the auditorium.
No one was even close to Hakuho, who set the bar so high that his nearest
challengers finished four losses off the pace.
''I'm so happy,'' said a teary-eyed Hakuho. ''I'm thankful to all the fans who
have rooted for me throughout the 15 days. This has been a tough basho (because
of the gambling scandal), but I was able to focus myself mind and body.''
Hakuho also achieved a record that eluded Chiyonofuji by one win, despite the
former yokozuna great's legendary 53-bout win streak. He is the only wrestler
to have won three consecutive meets without a loss since the introduction of
the six-tourney system in 1958.
''The Wolf,'' as Chiyonofuji was known by fans, ripped through opponents from
the seventh day of the 1988 summer meet to the penultimate day of the Fukuoka
meet in November the same year, but missed the record when he lost to Onokuni
on the final day.
''This (record) was never something that I was aiming to achieve. I think I got
this result because of my strong feelings about sumo and the everyday training
I put in. I promise to give my all until the last day of the next basho as
well,'' said Hakuho.
Before the start of the makuuchi bouts, acting Japan Sumo Association chief
Hiroyoshi Murayama apologized once again in a statement to sumo fans over a
gambling scandal rocking the sport and alleged ties to organized crime, with
Hakuho and all of the ''sanyaku,'' wrestlers in the top three ranks below
yokozuna, bowing in a row.
Homasho (11-4), who was in the title race as the closest challenger to Hakuho
until the 14th day, dropped to his second straight loss when he was sent
sprawling with a left-handed shove from Russian Aran (11-4) but picked up his
fourth Fighting Spirit Prize. Aran also won the accolade for the second meet in
a row.
Mongolian Harumafuji banged up Bulgarian Kotooshu with a series of well-placed
shoves before blasting his opponent over the straw bales to end his campaign on
10-5 along with his ozeki rival.
Georgia's Tochinoshin ended with a meager 6-9 record after toppling Kitataiki
(6-9) into the ringside seats, while fellow komusubi Hakuba of Mongolia twisted
down countryman Tokusegawa (8-7), finishing with an even worse 4-11 mark.
Sekiwake Kisenosato, who was on the bubble, fell to a losing record when he was
jettisoned into the ringside seats by Mongolian Kakuryu, who improved to 11-4
and won his fifth Technique Prize.
Takamisakari, sumo's class clown who gets the crowd behind him with his
pre-bout histrionics, was ushered over the edge by Shimotori (6-9) in a
lopsided affair to finish on 9-6.
Earlier, Gagamaru of Georgia, a debutant in the elite division, finished with
an unflattering mark of 5-10 after he was lifted out by Bushuyama, who notched
his eighth win.
A total of 10 wrestlers from the top juryo and makuuchi divisions were
suspended for the Nagoya meet and former ozeki Kotomitsuki was banned for life
from the sport for gambling on baseball, which is suspected of being a source
of income for gangsters.
Although the Emperor's Cup and other customary awards were not presented to
Hakuho in the ''yusho'' ceremony, Niigata Prefecture gave him 600 kilograms of
the region's Koshihikari rice as a consolation prize.
Public broadcaster NHK decided not to air the meet live and instead showed
replays of matches at the end of each day.
''I really wanted to receive the Emperor's Cup as a yokozuna for this country.
This was an unfortunate meet for all of us. But I want to stay positive as I
look toward the next meet (in September),'' said Hakuho choking up.
==Kyodo
capped off a stellar performance with a superhuman feat against ozeki Baruto on Sunday, making him the only man in the history of sumo to win three consecutive meets with perfect 15-0 records.
With a victory over the Estonian man-mountain in a mouthwatering final match of
the 15-day Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament, Hakuho stretched his personal winning
streak to 47 bouts.
In the finale, Hakuho held off a rampage from Baruto (8-7), who shook the
yokozuna to and fro with his massive frame, in front of a riveted auditorium at
Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium.
But never one to shrink from a challenge, Hakuho reached deep into his energy
reserves before finding a way to dump the ozeki with one mighty left-handed
overarm throw, causing fans to erupt with cheers and fling ''zabuton'' cushions
around the auditorium.
No one was even close to Hakuho, who set the bar so high that his nearest
challengers finished four losses off the pace.
''I'm so happy,'' said a teary-eyed Hakuho. ''I'm thankful to all the fans who
have rooted for me throughout the 15 days. This has been a tough basho (because
of the gambling scandal), but I was able to focus myself mind and body.''
Hakuho also achieved a record that eluded Chiyonofuji by one win, despite the
former yokozuna great's legendary 53-bout win streak. He is the only wrestler
to have won three consecutive meets without a loss since the introduction of
the six-tourney system in 1958.
''The Wolf,'' as Chiyonofuji was known by fans, ripped through opponents from
the seventh day of the 1988 summer meet to the penultimate day of the Fukuoka
meet in November the same year, but missed the record when he lost to Onokuni
on the final day.
''This (record) was never something that I was aiming to achieve. I think I got
this result because of my strong feelings about sumo and the everyday training
I put in. I promise to give my all until the last day of the next basho as
well,'' said Hakuho.
Before the start of the makuuchi bouts, acting Japan Sumo Association chief
Hiroyoshi Murayama apologized once again in a statement to sumo fans over a
gambling scandal rocking the sport and alleged ties to organized crime, with
Hakuho and all of the ''sanyaku,'' wrestlers in the top three ranks below
yokozuna, bowing in a row.
Homasho (11-4), who was in the title race as the closest challenger to Hakuho
until the 14th day, dropped to his second straight loss when he was sent
sprawling with a left-handed shove from Russian Aran (11-4) but picked up his
fourth Fighting Spirit Prize. Aran also won the accolade for the second meet in
a row.
Mongolian Harumafuji banged up Bulgarian Kotooshu with a series of well-placed
shoves before blasting his opponent over the straw bales to end his campaign on
10-5 along with his ozeki rival.
Georgia's Tochinoshin ended with a meager 6-9 record after toppling Kitataiki
(6-9) into the ringside seats, while fellow komusubi Hakuba of Mongolia twisted
down countryman Tokusegawa (8-7), finishing with an even worse 4-11 mark.
Sekiwake Kisenosato, who was on the bubble, fell to a losing record when he was
jettisoned into the ringside seats by Mongolian Kakuryu, who improved to 11-4
and won his fifth Technique Prize.
Takamisakari, sumo's class clown who gets the crowd behind him with his
pre-bout histrionics, was ushered over the edge by Shimotori (6-9) in a
lopsided affair to finish on 9-6.
Earlier, Gagamaru of Georgia, a debutant in the elite division, finished with
an unflattering mark of 5-10 after he was lifted out by Bushuyama, who notched
his eighth win.
A total of 10 wrestlers from the top juryo and makuuchi divisions were
suspended for the Nagoya meet and former ozeki Kotomitsuki was banned for life
from the sport for gambling on baseball, which is suspected of being a source
of income for gangsters.
Although the Emperor's Cup and other customary awards were not presented to
Hakuho in the ''yusho'' ceremony, Niigata Prefecture gave him 600 kilograms of
the region's Koshihikari rice as a consolation prize.
Public broadcaster NHK decided not to air the meet live and instead showed
replays of matches at the end of each day.
''I really wanted to receive the Emperor's Cup as a yokozuna for this country.
This was an unfortunate meet for all of us. But I want to stay positive as I
look toward the next meet (in September),'' said Hakuho choking up.
==Kyodo
