[sumo] Sumo Beya Diary (Pre Kyushu Basho)

[Joe Kuroda <joe_kuroda@yahoo.com>]

Not sure if I posted this here:

Nishonoseki Beya

Following Seishiro after the Nagoya Basho, another
rikishi has decided to retire. Sandanme Kaishin
(Kazutaka Yamaguchi), 26, won his third bout on Day 13
against Ryukiyama of Hanakago Beya by oshidashi and
announced his retirement.

"I was thinking about it since the beginning of this
year so I was gradually trying to drop my weight. My
heaviest was 120 kg but right now I weigh around 100
kg. My future plan is to work in a day care facility
as I love being with kids. As I already have a high
school diploma (from Chiba Prefectural Narashino
High), after going home, I plan to attend a college
for two years to earn the certificate for day care
workers," Kaishin said.

He came very close to a Makushita ranking at the 2002
September Basho as he was ranked at Sandanme West 3,
his highest. He had his Danpatsu Ceremony on the
morning of the Aki Basho Senshuraku at the heya's
training dohyo. 

++++++++++++++

Sadogatake Beya

Kototakeuchi(Akihito Takeuchi), 19, who made the dohyo
debut at the Aki Basho, played rugby in his first year
at his high school, Jutoku High in Gunma Prefecture.
After graduation, he played in a semi-pro basketball
league while working part time.

His father is an ardent sumo fan and one time while
watching TV, Kototakeuchi happened to mention to his
father he wanted to try it out himself. After calling
Sadogatake Beya and making sure they were looking for
new recruits, his father met Kotonowaka personally and
decided to have his son joining the heya.

At the Aki Basho Mae-zumo, on Day 3 Kototakeuchi beat
Takamori (Ajigawa Beya) by yori-taoshi after getting
himself in a moro-zashi position. And then on Day 4,
he got his opponent, Noguchi (Kitanoumi Beya), into a
moro-zashi and then beat him by yori-taoshi again. 

Unfortunately after returning to the change room, he
started experiencing abdominal cramps and had to
withdraw from the next day's bout.

However on Day 8, he sufficiently recovered to appear
on the dohyo wearing Kotooshu's "Bulgarian Yogurt"
kesho mawashi for the new recruit introduction
ceremony.

++++++

Former Juryo, (Aki Basho rank) Makushita East 39
Kotoiwakuni (Takeshi Fujimoto), 31, lost his bout on
Day 10 and withdrew from the basho as of the next day
and announced his retirement.

His Danpatsu Ceremony was held at the heya's training
dohyo at 9 AM on the Day 12 with Kotonowaka, standing
in for his shisho who was ill and hospitalized, put
the final cut. "If you ask me, he can still continue
longer so in that sense I do feel a bit of regret,"
Kotonowaka said . Kotoiwakuni is planning to work at a
restaurant in Tokyo area.

++++++++

Kotokasuga could have been promoted to Juryo if he won
one more bout either in this year's Haru, Natsu or
Nagoya Basho. His dream of becoming a new Juryo
finally came true at the Aki Basho. Ranked Makushita
West 1, he had a record of 3 wins and 3 losses after
finishing his fifth bout. Then in the next bout he
cleanly beat Juryo Sumanofuji by yori-kiri and got
Kachikoshi.

"There were times when I felt I'd never make it but
this has been all well worth the efforts I've put in.
I am glad I endured so long to achieve this.
Hardships? Sure, but after winning today I've
forgotten all about them," said Kotokasuga surrounded
by a horde of reporters. 

He injured his left elbow which was crucial to his
favorite technique of hidari-sashi (left-in) but
continued to compete, trying to find other ways to win
and he feels that made him a better rikishi.

"The Kyushu Basho is my local basho so I am really
happy that I can compete there as a new Juryo rikishi.
My goal right now is to display a sumo style like
Takenawa oyakata (former Sekiwake Kotonishiki)." 

=====
.....Jonosuke 
  <  Heart  Technique  Physique      &#24515;&#12288;&#25216;&#12288;&#20307;&#12288;>

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[EndPost by Joe Kuroda <joe_kuroda@yahoo.com>]