Sumo: Hakuho gets special award for 63-bout win streak

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TOKYO, Jan. 9 Kyodo -
Mongolian grand champion Hakuho received a special award from the Yokozuna
Deliberation Council on the opening day of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament
Sunday, acknowledging his achievement of a 63-bout winning streak -- the second
longest in sumo history.
Hakuho is the fourth man to receive the accolade following former yokozuna
greats Taiho, Kitanoumi and Chiyonofuji. It was the first time that the award
was presented at a major tournament.
''I feel like this is proof of the result of all the expectations from the
people around me. That trophy was heavy. I feel like the new challenge has
started and I have started down the road again,'' he said.
Yokozuna Deliberation Council head Takahiko Tsuruta presented the trophy at
Ryogoku Kokugikan. ''For this achievement, we give you the honorific title
'King of the Dohyo.' We will praise this honor for a long time to come,'' said
Tsuruta.
''You are a wonderful yokozuna who possesses all the attributes of refinement,
good spirit, technique and physical condition,'' he said.
Hakuho's winning streak began on the penultimate day of the 2010 New Year meet
and ran until the second day of the Kyushu basho in November, where he was
stopped by Kisenosato.
The 25-year-old failed in his pursuit of the Futabayama's all-time record of 69
consecutive wins but the council had already decided to present him with the
special award after he won his fourth consecutive meet with a 15-0 mark at the
autumn tournament in September.
He is seeking to become the third man in sumo to win six consecutive titles at
the 15-day Tokyo meet.
==Kyodo
2011-01-10 00:22:13