Kaio's Mom: "My son belongs to everyone." Options

[madorosumaru]

A loud but well-behaved group of about 200 supporters sat in front of a big screen TV in Kyushu watching the local hero break Chiyonofuji's record for all-time makuuchi victories. Among them was a very youthful-looking 64-year-old lady named Eiko Koga--Kaio's mom. Amid all the shouting and cheers, the local television interviewed her at that moment of her offspring's glory. "He is no longer just my son," she said tearfully. "He belongs to everyone. He is everyone's "Kaio"

The elegant lady reflected on Hiroyuki's childhood. "As a boy, he was weak-willed and lacked confidence." She told a story of the time she called him about a year after he graduated from middle school and joined ozumo. She recalled that he sounded so sad and beaten down that she suggested he give up sumo and come home and go to vocational school. "You are still young," she told her sobbing son. "There are plenty of opportunities for you to make a fresh start." An illustrious career of a mei-ozeki may well have ended twenty years ago with a whimper.

However, as Kaio developed as a rikishi, he also developed as a man. In 1992, not long after he was promoted to juryo, Kaio sustained a major injury to his toe during a basho. His worried mother rushed to the hospital but this time she did not even mention anything about quitting. "He was totally changed," she told the reporter. "He was no longer the weak-willed boy. He was a man filled with determination."

Mom follows Kaio's career closely. She is still working at a welfare institution and when she is off duty, she watches her son's bouts. "There are peaks and there are valleys," she said philosophically. "That's the way he has always been." Whenever she sees him, she tells him what any mother would: "Just don't get hurt."

As for Kaio himself, he was not visibly excited by the historical moment. "This is not the time to wallow in emotions," he said calmly. "There is a basho still going on."

[Asanomeshi]

Good read. Thanks. You translate this from somewhere I assume? What is the source?

[Asashosakari]

What is the source?

Mainichi.

[ilovesumo]

Yes, thank you very much.
Such an "Oh mum, come one...don't say that" moment is petty entertaining.
And thanks for the source. I'd like to have the links to the sources in all informational posts

[shumitto]

It is hard to care about this record. To every 8 wins he racks up, 7 losses come along.

[_the_mind_]

It is hard to care about this record. To every 8 wins he racks up, 7 losses come along.

when he breaks the record for most losses, then your snide comment is necissary, but as of right now 531 losses is nowhere near 808 wins, even only getting 8 wins per 7 losses

[Gusoyama]

when he breaks the record for most losses, then your snide comment is necissary, but as of right now 531 losses is nowhere near 808 wins, even only getting 8 wins per 7 losses

thats a good stat, who does have the most losses in makuuchi?

[Doitsuyama]

when he breaks the record for most losses, then your snide comment is necissary, but as of right now 531 losses is nowhere near 808 wins, even only getting 8 wins per 7 losses

thats a good stat, who does have the most losses in makuuchi?

Kaio is 17th all-time here, with Terao and Takamiyama clearly leading (753 and 750 losses).