Roho's interview from Hatsu 2005 in Russian

[Manekineko]

Here.

If none of other Russian-capable members (hint, hint) happen to translate it, I will... eventually. (Hugging...)

[Usagi]

The link seems to be invalid.

[Pikenoyama]

The link seems to be invalid.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It definitely works for me (Lifting weights...)

[Guest Onigashima]

Soslan Boradzov: "I await my brother in Makuuchi!"

New Year Grand Sumo Tournament is a traditional tournament, which was complete this past weekend in the Mecca of Sumo, Tokyo's "Kokugikan", turned out to be an unfortunate one for 24-year-old Soslan Boradzov. The Russian wrestler, who competes under the pseudonym Roho (Russian Phoenix), for the first time in a year and a half in the highest division (Makuuchi) of Japan's association of professional Sumo, showed a result of Makekoshi (predominance of losses).

- In the previous two tournaments, you confidently finished with a record of 10-5. What happened this time, Soslan?

- As luck would have it, two weeks before the tournament I injured my knee. It seems that I warmed-up poorly. These days Tokyo is cool, and the hall in which sumotori train is not heated. That's just how it's done here. During this time, I had only a couple of light training sessions and didn't feel very good physically. Especially the start with my hurt leg wasn't right. And in Sumo, where everything is decided in an instant, much depends on that.

- You sound, to put it gently, unhappy...

- I'm upset, of course. Even with all that I was only one victory short of ending up with a positive record! Although in truth nothing terrible really happened. In the rankings, I won't likely be lowered more than two positions, and in the next tournament, which will take place from the 13th to the 27th of March in Osaka, I will try to make up for what I lost.

- At one point in the Tokyo tournament, you lost five in a row. Had that ever happened to you before?

- Yes, once in the second division - Juryo. But Makuuchi is a completely different level. Furthermore, the better one's results, the more serious one's opponents become. Therefore, out of my three tournaments in Makuuchi, I reached my strongest opponents here, in Tokyo.

- One of them is the Georgian Levan Tsaguria, who goes by Kokkai. How did you manage to lose to him in a mere second, and was it exactly that long?

- Eh, it was pitiful. Kokkai didn't really have time to do anything at all. I practically gave him the win. I simply slipped at the start and touched the dohyo with my hand.

- Which of your fifteen matches did you like the most?

- The thirteenth - the one with Ozeki Chiyotaikai. Despite the loss, I looked worthy even against such an accomplished wrestler.

- Your brother's entrance into the Juryo division, one step from Makuuchi, must be a bright spot from the bitterness of your misfortune.

- Yes, Batraz is doing well! I am happy for him. In Tokyo I watched all his matches. He made some mistakes, of course, but in all he wrestled very well. His last opponent was the leader - 33-year-old Otsukasa. If my brother had won, they would have had equal records, and a rematch would have been necessary. The victor would become the owner of a small cup, a check for 20,000 dollars, and most importantly, a trip to Makuuchi. Unfortunately, he lost. In my view, he simply lacked experience. Otsukasa is an experienced wrestler, who spent many years in the top division. But it's ok. I hope that in Osaka in two months, where they will meet next, my brother will get his revenge. He has beaten him in training.

- How do you evaluate Batraz's future prospects?

- He will now occupy the first or second ranking in Juryo. This means that in Osaka it will be enough to get any kachikoshi result, and the path to Makuuchi will be open.

- Is he ready for that?

- Considering how he performs in training - completely. By the way, foreign brothers have never before been in the top division of Sumo.

- I heard that Batraz created quite a furor when he defeated Japanese college-yokozuna Futenoh.

- Yes, 24-year-old Futenoh is no slouch. Wrestling with him was extremely difficult. Besides professional sumo, in Japan there are competitions among college and high school students. The rules and system is analogous to ours. Student-yokozunas have one privilege - in professional sumo they automatically start in the third division, while others start from the sixth with everyone else.

- It seems that among our other wrestlers we are finally seeing progress.

- Definitely. From the result of this past season, Kolya Ivanov (Amuru) in the fourth division, Sandanme, rose from 97th to 24th rank, and Tolik Mikhakhanov (Orora) went from 74th to 47th. Both were successful in Tokyo. Ivanov, after winning five matches of seven, most likely earned himself promotion to the third division - Makushita. In truth, this will only become known after the meeting of the special commission of the Japanese association of professional sumo. Tolik went 4-3, and if in the next tournament he finishes say, with a 6-1 record, he will also make it to Makushita. The Estonian Kaido Khevelson (Baruto) also has made it there. His successes have been quite impressive. In the sixth and fifth divisions he gained absolute victories, and in two tournaments rose from the fourth to the third divisions. I would not be surprised if at this tempo Baruto even within the year becomes a sekitori and enters the elite of Sumo!

Aleksandr Kruzhkov, "Sport Express"

[Manekineko]

(Lifting weights...)