specialweek 2 134 Posted January 15, 2019 Intai just announced 3 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dingo 628 Posted January 15, 2019 Just now, specialweek 2 said: Intai just announced From NHK world -- Yokozuna Grand Champion Kisenosato will retire from sumo after losing three straight bouts in the New Year Tournament. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jakusotsu 4,840 Posted January 15, 2019 (edited) Equally sad and relieved. Edit: Was it coincidence that I listened to this right now?https://youtu.be/673DwzEmBAY Edited January 15, 2019 by Jakusotsu 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bumpkin 438 Posted January 15, 2019 2 minutes ago, specialweek 2 said: Intai just announced Sad but it was inevitable. BTW, M2e Nishikigi (3-0) gets his 4th win. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bumpkin 438 Posted January 15, 2019 This calls for a separate thread. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tsuchinoninjin 972 Posted January 15, 2019 (edited) I saw Tagonoura oyakata giving an interview outdoors on NHK but you couldn't hear anything he said. Edited January 15, 2019 by Tsuchinoninjin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
orandashoho 718 Posted January 16, 2019 (edited) Sad but inevitable, it was high time to face the painful truth. This is better than to be given a recommendation and he will surely be honoured for it. Yes, a separate thread please. Edited January 16, 2019 by orandashoho Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kaninoyama 1,255 Posted January 16, 2019 (edited) Yokozuna Kisenosato (32) has decided to retire. The decision was announced on January 16 by his Oyakata, Tagonoura. His reign as Yokozuna lasted but a brief 12 tournaments. News Story in Japanese Edited January 16, 2019 by Kaninoyama English translation added Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rainoyama 1,157 Posted January 16, 2019 (edited) Kisenosato retires according to Yomiuri shinbun, no article yet just a read headline for now. Edited January 16, 2019 by Rainoyama Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rainoyama 1,157 Posted January 16, 2019 Links to a few articles in japanese : Yomiuri https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/sumo/20190116-OYT1T50038.html?from=ytop_top Asahi : https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASM1G5VYCM1GUTQP01C.html?iref=comtop_8_01 Mainichi : https://mainichi.jp/articles/20190116/k00/00m/050/030000c 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fede 45 Posted January 16, 2019 (edited) Sometimes sport is cruel. An excellent career, without any injury, and at the exact moment that you realize your dream, you get an injury from which you can't recover. Thank you Grand Champion. The life goes on. Edited January 16, 2019 by Fede 11 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Joaoiyama 277 Posted January 16, 2019 I hope he becomes Oyakata, would be a good way to reinforce his legacy. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rainoyama 1,157 Posted January 16, 2019 I'll never forget his second yusho and his 10-5 come back, sadly he wasn't the same after the injury. Great champion. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kuroyama 715 Posted January 16, 2019 I wish this could have been avoided. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kuroyama 715 Posted January 16, 2019 1 minute ago, Joaoiyama said: I hope he becomes Oyakata, would be a good way to reinforce his legacy. He owns the Araiso kabu, so this is certain. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
robnplunder 944 Posted January 16, 2019 It was inevitable, and perhaps, should have been come sooner. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ichimawashi 573 Posted January 16, 2019 (edited) It would seem that I missed Kisenosato's best years, having been watching Sumo for only a little more than a year. But the record is clear: an amazing run as an Ozeki with only one makekoshi in five years (a 7-8 with a 15th day sitout), and eleven (!) jun-yushos in those five years, culminating in a 14-1 yusho win to finally claim the top rank. And to silence the critics who bleated that two yushos are normally required (four jun-yushos, a yusho, and 74 wins in the last six tournaments as Ozeki surely overqualifies as comparable), he won a second consecutive yusho in his first tournament as Yokozuna. He did all this in the era of Hakuho, Harumafuji, and Kakuryu, so averaging over ten wins per basho with those three as guaranteed opponents is a proud acheivement. Here in Vancouver where I live, we celebrated the end of an era last year when a pair of Swedish hockey twins who nearly took our local squad to the championship in 2011 retired, and the catchphrase invented by the team for the occasion was "don't frown because it's over; smile because it happened." That surely applies here. Maybe the emperor should invite him to the royal box for the visit. Edited January 16, 2019 by Ichimawashi 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
since_94 604 Posted January 16, 2019 I am saddened by this announcement, inevitable as it is. I am in Tokyo and was hoping to see him fight this basho, but it wouldn't have been fun to see him in bad form and losing. His attempt to come back from injury has been inspirational, and his Yokozuna run was exciting and injected a shot of adrenaline for a then waning Japanese passion for the sport. Thanks for all the memories and thrills champ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Valdenor 3 Posted January 16, 2019 (edited) A sad day for ozumo. I hope that he may be remembered by his peak performance and his persistence in the face of adversity. Edited January 16, 2019 by Valdenor Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UncleMoustache 35 Posted January 16, 2019 What a pity. I fear he will quickly fade into obscurity now. He was dealt a rum hand, but that's life sometimes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kaninoyama 1,255 Posted January 16, 2019 27 minutes ago, robnplunder said: It was inevitable, and perhaps, should have been come sooner. Maybe, but I also believe he earned the right to go out on his own terms, which he did. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kaninoyama 1,255 Posted January 16, 2019 (edited) 6 hours ago, UncleMoustache said: What a pity. I fear he will quickly fade into obscurity now. He was dealt a rum hand, but that's life sometimes. I highly doubt he will fade into obscurity. He was immensely popular with Japanese fans, became the first Japanese Yokozuna in almost 20 years after heartbreaking struggle to attain that rank, conducted himself with impeccable "hinkaku" throughout his career, and will thus be remembered and revered as a Japanese sumo hero for many years to come. Edited January 16, 2019 by Kaninoyama Spelling 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eikokurai 3,413 Posted January 16, 2019 (edited) I had a feeling I’d wake up to this. It’s good and bad news really. Good in the sense that it’s brought the whole saga to a close and ends Kise’s obvious misery, but it goes without saying really that it’s very sad when a talented rikishi’s career is cut short. Kise so evidently lives for what he does, so to have been denied the chance to prove himself as a Yokozuna because of a freak accident is a real shame. He was a bloody brilliant Ozeki and in time hopefully that’s what we’ll all remember, not the debacle of the last 18+ months. Let’s look at some of the facts: a win average of 10.7, one 7-8 makekoshi in 5+ years at the rank, 12 jun-yusho prior to his promotion championship. For me he embodies what an Ozeki should aim to be – always in the hunt, always putting pressure on the yusho leader to stay perfect, always aiming for double-digits. If an Ozeki can’t be a champion, he should be the best runner-up he can be and Kisenosato was just that. Though I won’t miss the endless retirement talk and the repeated kyujos, I will miss him. I hope he has a successful tenure as an Oyakata, though for now I think he’s earned a little break from the spotlight. Edited January 16, 2019 by Eikokurai 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
specialweek 2 134 Posted January 16, 2019 14 minutes ago, UncleMoustache said: What a pity. I fear he will quickly fade into obscurity now. He was dealt a rum hand, but that's life sometimes. Obscurity doubtful, 30 plus years ahead seems the logical path as an oyakata will keep him in the public eye. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites