Rikishi Talk The Senshuraku Haru Basho 2010

[Jonosuke]

Kaiho (East Juryo 8) losing to Kirinowaka by oshidashi

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(Losing his 11th and certain to be demoted to Makushita next basho. Unable to hide the shock and tears flowing freely realizing he will be losing a sekitori seat he maintained for 13 years since his Juryo debut at the 1997 Natsu Basho.)

(Asked if he would even consider continuing falling down to Makushita.)

"Really hard to even contemplate.....you know I have been doing this for so long as a sekitori. I can't tell you right now but I will talk to my oyakata."

Hakkaku oyakata (former Yokozuna Hokutoumi), Kaiho's shisho

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(On his 36 year old deshi even though it appears a remote possibility of Kaiho staying at the moment.)

"It's obvious. I have every intention of asking him to keep going and do all he can the next basho. But you know you really don't know it until he goes down and realizes for himself what may be awaiting him there."

Okinoumi (8-7) over Tokusegawa by yorikiri, 7.9 sec

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(Getting kachikoshi on the senshuraku in his Makuuchi debut basho.)

"I am relieved for now. It's really good to be in Makuuchi just as I expected. I feel the 15 days have gone by so quickly. But I left so many takeaways from this basho too. I know I just happen to win more than I lost.""

Sagatsukasa (6-9) losing to Kitataiki by yoritaoshi, 4.1 sec

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(Finishing 6-9 in his Makuuchi dohyo debut basho.)

"I felt I did not so badly in the first half. I want to get a kachikoshi in Juryo and come back up here again quickly."

Takamisakari (7-8) losing to Homasho by yorikiri, 4.2 sec

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(Finishing the basho and coming down with mounting exhaustion.)

"Ah...I finally can take it easy and relax in a long while now. From the top of my head to the tip of my toes, I am totally exhausted."

Kotoshogiku (10-5) over Asasekiryu by yorikiri, 5.2 sec

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(Winning his 10th and certain of his Sanyaku return.)

"I believe I was able to show pretty decent sumo throughout the 15 days. As a rival, I can't stand to see him (Baruto) getting promoted to ozeki already. I will be coming back next basho, desperately wanting far more than I have got up to now.""

Kisenosato (9-6) over Miyabiyama by oshidashi, 8.9 sec

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(Winning his ninth)

"I had many bouts I was totally overwhelmed like the Baruto bout. I will need gain to more tenacity in my sumo to be able to compete well against the top rank rikishi."

Kotomitsuki (9-6) losing to Baruto by yorikiri, 11.0 sec

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(On Baruto)

"He could display strength when you get to yotsu but this basho his push was ferocious and he came to you with such power."

Baruto (14-1) over Kotomitsuki

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(Now tot even showing it matters his opponent was an ozeki.)

"I wanted to close the basho with good sumo and I feel I was able to do that today."

"The basho felt like so long. It's been a good experience though. Anyway I did not feel that much tension."

(On seeing Hakuho winning the yusho in front of him.)

"The yokozuan kept showing yokozuna sumo till the very end. He was very impressive to witness today."

(One loss away from a possible yusho this basho.)

"Well the loss was huge. I admit I have a feeling of regret obviously even though I am happy about the result. But now I can set the next goal."

(On ozeki promotion)

"I can tell you about it on Wednesday (when the messangers arrive at his heya). But next basho I can tell you I will do my best aiming for the yusho."

Kokonoe oyakata (former Yokozuna Chiyonofuji), Director of Judging Division

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(On Baruto)

"He has shown depth and width to his overall sumo and achieved an excellent record well deserving of ozeki this basho. If he can continue to work hard to aim for the next level, I have no doubt that he can pull along the rest with him."

Tomozuna oyakata (former Sekiwake Kaiki), Director of Judging Division

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(On Baruto)

"Baruto has really improved his sumo by bounds. He can handle the mawashi well and his tsuppari power is as devastating as ever. I am sure he will become an ozeki with stability. I am hoping he can build up and strengthen his physique by participating in more training sessions so he can avoid injuries in future."

Elena, Baruto's wife

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"I am relieved. Every day has been very tense. Even when I called him, we never talked about sumo. I am extremely happy for him today."

Tina, 47, Baruto's mother

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(Watching his son winning his bout on the Senshuraku on Internet.)

"The biggest difference for him this basho was that he was no longer afraid of his opponent, that he gained his self confidence. He has done great. I want to see him real soon."

A lone Estonian reporter at his house, 130 kg from Talin (while five from Japanese media arrived.)

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"Baruto is known here but not many people were aware there was his ozeki promotion possibility this basho. Sumo is not a familiar sport in Estonia but if he becomes ozeki and yokozuna, I am sure more media in Estonia will start following it."

Mihogaseki oyakata, Deputy Director of Judging

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"He always possessed unlimited potentials. Now I can see him confidently trying to achieve his goals one by one. Ihope he won't be just satisfied with the accomplishments so far but will be challenging for a position that stands before him."

Shibatayama oyakata (former Yokozuna Onokuni)

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(On foreign born rikishi becoming more successful in Ozumo and Japanese rikishi showing no hungry spirit.)

"In Japan we have a life of abundance. There are more and more kids growing up spoiled rotten. It isn't a problem with Ozumo alone, we are just reflecting the Japanese society."

Kotooshu (10-5) over Kaio by yoritaoshi, 4.3 sec

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(Asked about his rival, Baruto)

"Who said he was my rival? When did I ever say so? Just telling you so you know, all are my rivals."

Kaio (8-7) losing to Kotooshu

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(Notched kachikoshi in his 100th Makuuchi Basho)

"Till the very end, I had not been able to show even a modicum of good decent sumo. Right now I try not to think about anything else but just try to get a basho in, one basho at at a time."

Harumafuji (10-5) losing to Hakuho by uwatenage, 1 min 7.0 sec

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(Did everything he could possibly to show and appreciated by the spectators of his good efforts against Hakuho.)

"I know it was a good bout for me. Win or lose, I wanted to show a good spirited well fought bout. I am satisfied with my performance today."

(On Baruto)

"......."

Hakuho (15-0) over Harumafuji

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(On the day's bout)

"I know he had my mawashi and I knew he felt secure. But if I get his mawashi, I am also as good. Today I went in thinking just one more bout so I was able to stay calm and relax. In the end it was a flow that decided the bout."

"I am so happy to get the yusho but I must admit I am really exhausted like never before."

(Looking back the whole basho after winning his 13th yusho, the seventh in all time list.)

"I approached the basho with a resolve that I must be the one needed to pull the whole basho along, and I felt I had to win the yusho to prove it. I feel I have been able to accomplish the task."

"I can tell you the basho felt so long. We had a big hole left by losing Asashoryu-zeki but now we will have a new ozeki. I am hoping he will become a good rival for me."

Kumagatani oyakata (former Makuuchi Chikubayama), Hakuho's personal shisho

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(On Hakuho shouldering the heavy load and responsibility as the sole yokozuna.)

"After the third or so day in he was saying it was really getting tough. I can only surmise that it must have been a tremendous load on him."

"But this is only his first step into the next era as the sole yokozuna. With Baruto coming to his own, he will face more rivals. He will need to work harder than ever before."

Sayoko, Hakuho's wife

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(On Hakuho feeling his responsibility as the single yokozuna.)

"It must have been very intense. Unlike in the past, from one day before the basho start, he has not even spoken a word on sumo."

Isegahama oyakata (former Yokozuna Asahifuji)

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"When you become the sole yokozuna, you will naturally start feeling there is no one else but yourself. You are already strong to begin with, but you will become even stronger."

Kokonoe oyakata, Director of Judging Division

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"I cannot find a fault with him. Winning the all win yusho as the sole yokozuna means a great deal. Not only it should give him a tremendous self-confidence but this will become an great asset to his sumo life. Unless other rikishi start revvying up more, he will start adding more and more yusho in no time."

Musashigawa oyakata, Kyokai chairman

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(On the basho.)

"Hakuho has done a marvelous job. He has approached each and every bout with full intensity. He has withstood unbelievable level of pressure as a lone yokozuna and to win all his bouts he has fulfilled his responsibility as yokozuna admirably. He has not shown any sign of weakness this basho."

"Baruto has shown great sumo till the Senshuraku. Even looking at it from mental perspective, winning 14 bouts is simply amazing. You can say the ozeki group didn't put up the wall against him but I'll take it more like Baruto was that much strong. I expected he would deliver what we knew he could and he did it so well. From the next basho he will be holding a position of more responsibility. If he can keep up with the type of sumo he has shown us this basho, we can expect tremendous accomplishments from him in the future. "

The Kyokai's Judging Division made a submission to the Kyokai chairman Musashigawa oyakata to convene a special meeting of the directors to discuss Baruto's ozeki promotion. The promotion will be formally decided at the Natsu Basho Banzuke Re-arranging Committee meeting and following Directors meeting on March 31.

As of Day 14, Baruto already won a total of 34 bouts in the past three basho, passing 33, the mark what they generally consider to be the standard for ozeki promotion. "Baruto has displayed more depth to his sumo and achieved a great record well worth becoming an ozeki," Kokonoe oyakata, director of Judging Division commented.

He will become the first ozeki since Harumafuji promoted after the 2008 Kyushu Basho and eighth foreign born rikishi to become an ozeki and the first from Estonia. With the retirement of Chiyotaikai (current Sanoyama oyakata) there were four ozeki this basho but as of the next basho, there will be five once again.

Sansho

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Baruto - Kanto-sho(5), Gino-sho(1).

Baruto becomes the first rikishi to receive the two awards since Kotomitsuki at the 2007 Nagoya Basho.

Number of Basho Reached to Ozeki since Dohyo Debut

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1. Kotooshu - 19

2. Asashoryu - 22

3. Akebono - 26

4. Musashimaru - 27

5. Konishiki - 30

5. Takanohana (II) - 30

7. Hakuho - 31

8. Wakanohana (III) - 33

9. Baruto - 36

10. Chiyotaikai - 38

(Since the adoption of six basho per year system, excepting Makushita Tsukedashi)

Foreign born Ozeki

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1. Konishiki, USA, 1987 Nagoya

2. Akebono, USA, 1992 Nagoya

3. Musashimaru, USA,1994 Haru

4. Asashoryu, Mongolia, 2002 Aki

5. Kotooshu, Bulgaria, 2006 Hatsu

6. Hakuho, Mongolia, 2006 Natsu

7. Harumafuji, Mongolia, 2009 Hatsu

8. Baruto, Estonia, 2010 Natsu

Makuuchi Yusho

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Hakuho (15-0) East Yokozuna

Real name:　Davaajargal M

[Kaiomitsuki]

Thank you (Holiday feeling...)

[wanderer]

Thank you. I enjoy reading these.

I had to comment on this:

Shibatayama oyakata (former Yokozuna Onokuni)

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(On foreign born rikishi becoming more successful in Ozumo and Japanese rikishi showing no hungry spirit.)

"In Japan we have a life of abundance. There are more and more kids growing up spoiled rotten. It isn't a problem with Ozumo alone, we are just reflecting the Japanese society."

Japan isn't the only country where kids are spoiled rotten. You can find plenty of those same type of kids in the USA..... (In jonokuchi...)

There could also be a different point of view. The younger generation is attracted to newer type of competitions, such as snow boarding, speed skating or even a computer games.

I don't think it is a sign of rotting younger generation.

[Sashohitowa]

Thank you. I enjoy reading these.

I had to comment on this:

Shibatayama oyakata (former Yokozuna Onokuni)

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(On foreign born rikishi becoming more successful in Ozumo and Japanese rikishi showing no hungry spirit.)

"In Japan we have a life of abundance. There are more and more kids growing up spoiled rotten. It isn't a problem with Ozumo alone, we are just reflecting the Japanese society."

Japan isn't the only country where kids are spoiled rotten. You can find plenty of those same type of kids in the USA..... (Laughing...)

There could also be a different point of view. The younger generation is attracted to newer type of competitions, such as snow boarding, speed skating or even a computer games.

I don't think it is a sign of rotting younger generation.

Every new generation is rotten.

Edited March 29, 2010 by Sashohitowa

[Orion]

Every new generation is rotten.

Right - if you listen to one part of the generation of elders. But in sumo, don't accuse the foreigners of ripping the honor away from the 'more deserving' Japanese. They all have to go through the same mill (known as the sumo-beya) -- and it surely has to be easier for the Japanese kids -- who, after all, already basically speak the same language, apart from a few twists and turns.

Edited March 30, 2010 by Manekineko
quote fix