National Sports Festival 2009 sumo competition

[Asashosakari 20,284]

Sounds like we might be in for another weird year in the collegiate ranks...universities like Takushoku and Meiji represented in the finals [of the East Japan University Ch'ships]? Intriguing.

And the weirdness continues, as the adult individual sumo competition at the Kokutai - and the concomitant Ms15 tsukedashi qualification - was won by Takushoku's 4th-year student Taro Morimoto (Nara prefecture).

More results possibly to come; last year's coverage was very spotty, but Mainichi's regional editions usually will have bits and pieces eventually, they just need to be dug up first...

[Asashosakari 20,284]

The adult team competition was won by defending champion Tottori prefecture. The three-man team of Masahiro Yamaguchi, Tatsunori Kokumae and Gantugs Rentsendorj* beat Nagasaki prefecture in the final by a score of 2-1, the matchup coming down the final bout which Rentsendorj decided in Tottori's and his favour by yoritaoshi.

Rentsendorj on the right against unnamed Nagasaki opponent:

* Yamaguchi is of course the widely heralded 2nd-year student from Nichidai. Kokumae is also a Nichidai grad, subsequently winning the 2006 Corporate Yokozuna title in the employ of the Tottori Prefecture Physical Fitness Association. Rentsendorj competed for Mongolia in the lightweight category of this year's World Games in Taiwan...I'm guessing he attended Tottori Johoku High just like the other two did, but does anybody know what he's doing nowadays to still qualify for participation in the Kokutai?

[madorosumaru 7]

Rentsendorj competed for Mongolia in the lightweight category of this year's World Games in Taiwan...I'm guessing he attended Tottori Johoku High just like the other two did, but does anybody know what he's doing nowadays to still qualify for participation in the Kokutai?

According to the school publication, Rentsendorj is currently a school employee. It doesn't say in what capacity.

[Jonosuke 28]

He is currently an assistant lecturer of Physical Education/Health at the Johoku. I imagine if he had more weight he probably had joined a heya but he was too light and there was no opening so there was no taker. He was one of the best at his weight class and is the sumo club's advisor and coach.

[Sasanishiki 57]

Gantugs Rentsendorj is indeed a Tottori Johoku coach. He won bronze in the lightweight competition at the World Games, and then he defeated me in the first round of the open weight division. He has a damaged shoulder which, along with his small frame, might be a reason that he did not attempt to go pro.

[Asashosakari 20,284]

Finally found some time to browse for more detailed results, which fortunately are available this time (I've had less success with previous Kokutais). First up, the probably most interesting results from the individual competition. The mode of competition was such that all unbeaten wrestlers (27, to be exact) from the previous day's three group prelims qualified for the individuals. Obviously that entailed some luck of the draw - lots and lots of rikishi were 2-1 or even just 1-2 with the loss(es) coming against opponents who finished 3-0. Among guys I've spotted who weren't even able to compete for the individual title were former university yokozuna Shota Enomoto, former All-Japan and reigning World Games and World champion Takashi Himeno, and long-time amateur stalwart Katsuo Yoshida. Anyway, onto the participants (name and occupation corrections welcome):

Ando

Edited October 4, 2009 by Asashosakari

[Asashosakari 20,284]

I'll skip the full group results since I doubt anybody cares for that much detail, so here's just the 16 qualified prefectures and the ensuing knockout tournament. There were some other interesting participants in the team matches, but as only surnames are listed for those, I'm not at all sure who I'm looking at in some cases (e.g. which of the two Sakumas is the one from Nihon U., to say nothing of the various Takahashis, Itos and Suzukis)... Anyway:

Qualified

Edited October 4, 2009 by Asashosakari

[Asashosakari 20,284]

As already mentioned in the coverage of the various national high school tourney a few months ago, Ishikawa prefecture seems to be turning out successful sumo prospects by the bushelful of late. Just like in the adult category the Ishikawa youth team (5 members) was the only one to go through the three prelim rounds without a single loss. Surviving an early scare with a 3-2 first deciding round victory over Chiba that was only secured in the fifth bout, the team then rolled through the subsequent three rounds against Tottori, Kyoto and Aomori with matching scores of 4-1 to take the title. Even so, team captain and reigning high school yokozuna Yuma Nakade stood out by being the only team member to go completely undefeated in his seven bouts. (However, he's matched in that achievement by Aomori's Masaomi Hasegawa, the only one to take a win from the victorious Ishikawa team in the final. Name to watch?)

Summarized results (I imagine nobody's much interested in the individual names of under-18's most of whom we'll likely never hear about again...):

Qualified

[Asashosakari 20,284]

Nobody will read this ;-) but since I've typed it up for my own archives anyway, guess I might as well post it so here's the knockout stage of the youth tournament. Perhaps we'll actually hear more about a few of these guys in future years. 59 kids went through the group prelims unbeaten, so this was a rather huge tourney. Given names are mostly complete guesses (as are some surnames and school names), corrections are again welcome.

Abiko

Edited October 5, 2009 by Asashosakari

[Sasanishiki 57]

About with information about the winner, who also knocked off Nakade en route to his victory? (正代 直也, in case "Naoya Masayo" is totally wrong...)

As a first name it is usually read as Masayo, but as a surname it may also be read as Shoudai (at least from what I can find searching Japanese language sites.