Mongolian wrestlers have their web site !

[Hoshimambo 0]

From now on, Mongolian sumo has its own web site :

www.sumo.mn

It's new since the beginnig of the month, including articles (unfortunately, not in english), videos, a forum, and super galleries !

[Guest TSoLmoN]

Great site !!!! (Shaking head...)

[aderechelsea 125]

i would appreciate an english version too...... :-O

great looking site though..... (Sign of approval)

[Coo-cook 0]

Good sumo site.

There is an interview with Hakuho by a website manager and I'm trying to translate it. Please, forgive me for my poor English and sumo terms.

.................................

There are four Mongolian wrestlers in the sumo's highest league and they are all doing superb sumo.

Hakuho ,the youngest son of the grand champion J.Munkhbat and former member of "Tsagaan Shonhor" wrestling club will enter the highest league in upcoming May tournament.

He finished Osaka Haru Basho with 12 wins and 3 loses at age 19 last month and is considered the youngest wrestler promoted to makuchi in sumo history.

Also, his spending only one tournament in juryo is seen as an rare achievement.

Last saturday, Hakuho came back to his native country and was celebrating his new rank in "Bayangol" restaurant in Ulaanbaatar.

We had a chanse to interview him during the celebration.

-Congratulations for the promotion. When did you hear about your promotion?

I guess it was on Wednesday just after March Basho as we all were about having a rest for a week, when delighted Kobo came from outside and told us the news.

- You have been promoted to juryo last basho.How did you prepare for the tournament (March Basho) ?

We went to Dewanoumi beya for a joint training.I was very satisfied with my overall condition.

-How confident were you winning the juryo jusho?

I didn't think about the jusho. My goal was to make kachikoshi. I was very happy with the result.

-In February, the yokozuna won the makuchi and you won the juryo division tournament.

Yes, true. But, it wasn't that important as basho bouts.

-I heard also, you once beat the yokozuna in a training bout.

Being the yokozuna is a whole different matter. I think he didn't give his all strenght. And trainig bouts are bit different than actual basho bouts.

But, I'm very thankful for his advice and being very nice to me.

-Is there any more training with yokozuna when you go back ?

No plans at moment. Training with yokozuna would certainly help me a lot. But, it's up to my teacher to make decisions.

-Who was your main rival in juryo?

Korean and Russian wrestlers fought very well. But, I wouldn't name a particular one. They are all very strong and you never underestimate juryo wrestlers.

-I think it's more so in makuchi.What's your next goal in makuchi?

I have much harder bouts ahead.My goal is to make kachikoshi. I wouldn't promise more at this time.

-What's your most favourite technique?

It depends. You have to think fast after initial tachi-ai.Often I try to grab mawashi.

-What was your most succesful winning technique?

Push the opponent without grabing. It's called yorikiri.

-Did you use Mongolian wrestling techniques ?

Or, are those techniques allowed by your teacher ?

No doubt, he wouldn't allow some techniques.Some techniques are not suitable for the limited space of dohyo.You may hurt yourself or the others. Japanese techniques are best suited for sumo otherwise it can be dangerious.

-Has your teacher suggest certain techniques for you?

No. He only suggest me to make offensive sumo.Only by doing forward moving and offensive sumo you can apply your whole strenght, he tells me. Although he suggests smaller rikishis to try various techniques if possible, he demands me to be offensive, because I'm tall.

-When you first entered sumo what was your height and weight ?

175 cm and 68 kilo. Now, I'm weighing 138 kilo and 190 cm tall.

-Is there any training rules ?

I wouldn't call them rules.We have certain regulations and schedules to follow.

-How many training hours each day?

From 6 to 11 a.m. Training bouts for low ranked wrestlers start at 6 a.m already.

In my case, I do some pre -bout warmups doing shoku and hitting wooden poles till 8-9 a.m.

- How did you enter sumo?

There were 7 young candidates (from Mongolia?) for 2 month sumo introductory training. Three of them including me been accepted. Our teacher was looking for young and tall guys.

-Are you the senior rikishi in your heya ?

Not now.May be in coming Basho, when I got promoted.

- Who else is in makuchi from your heya?

Kobo.His rank was juryo 3rd in last banzuke and he won 9 bouts in last Basho.He will be promoted alongside me.There are no other sekitori by now. We have a promising young rikishi named Sanchirbold (does somebody know his Japanese name?). He is very young , but does good sumo. I hope, he'll be promoted to juryo soon.

- Do you do bodybuilding exercises?

Nothing particular.Regular sumo training gives you enough muscle and body strenght.

-Tsuppari is a good technique for developing palm muscles,I heard.

Although tsuppari might look relatively easy, it's very difficult technique to apply.Not anyone can make tsuppari and it needs sharp sense and reaction.

-Do you use tsuppari?

I'm not a good tsuppari technician.

-Have you had many bouts with your countrymen ?

Definitely. I won my bouts with Ama Byambadorj and Tokitenku Huchitbaatar at last month's tournament.

- What were your winning techniques?

Yorikiri and Oshidashi. I hope these two soon be promoted to makuchi and give their Mongolian fans something to cheer up.

-Is your teacher a demanding man?

Every ring master including my teacher is very demanding.He was one of the best wrestlers in his prime.

-Japanese wrestler named Hagiwara is promoted to juryo. He has been seen as the next yokozuna hopeful. Did you have a chanse compete with him?

He is a very good wrestler who become sekitori at age 17. He did different sport before entering sumo, I heard. Considering the short time, he is very successful.

We had a bout in makushita in which I was more blessed. I will watch his bouts in May.

[Manekineko 200]

Thanks for the translation, Coo-cook, and welcome to the forum! :-O

[Azumashida 1]

Thanks for this translation!

Apparently, the young and promising Rikishi Hakuho is referring to is Ryuo (real name Erhemochir Sanchirbold)

[Takanobaka 0]

It's nice to hear that Hakuho is much more humble than many of his young counterparts ("I have much harder bouts ahead.My goal is to make kachikoshi. I wouldn't promise more at this time."). Seems like all too frequently, especially from the foreign rikishi, you hear them talking about how they will make Yokozuna and be like Asashoryu. Seems like he's taken very well to the Japanese mindset, and I wish him the best of luck in the future...

Thanks for the translation :-O

[aderechelsea 125]

Hakuho sounds like a really nice guy and is a good athlete both n body and mind.....

i think he can enter my favourites soon........... :-)

[amgaa99 0]

This site is in Mongolian. Unfortunately has not English version. But maybe soon will be in English. All about Sumo. included news, polls, forums, photo galleries, to make a bet, and others.

[Jesinofuji 11]

It looks like a great site, and it would be great if there were an English version. Thanks for the translation Coo-Cook. I'd love to see what he says about his Natsu basho performance (especially his last bout).

[Guest samurai]

Hakuho sounds like a really nice guy and is a good athlete both n body and mind.....

i think he can enter my favourites soon........... :-P

:-D ;-)

[Mark Buckton 1]

Perhaps 35 years after the fitst we will have another Hakuho era. ;-)