[sumo] New Sekiwake - Yomiuri Article

[Barbara Ann Klein]

Wow, talk about NU (new ups), take a look at this about Kotoshogiku. And
hooray for Wakanosato. Another long, hard slog for him.

BRTK


Online at :
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/sports/20070227TDY24001.htmKotoshogiku 

Kotoshogiku blessed with surprise step up to sekiwake


James Hardy / Daily Yomiuri Sportswriter

Kotoshogiku's promotion to sekiwake was the surprise pick in the banzuke
rankings for the upcoming Spring Grand Sumo Tournament announced Monday. 

The 23-year-old Sadogatake stable wrestler leapfrogged the komusubi rank and
landed in sumo's third-highest rank thanks to a 9-6 record as a No. 1
maegashira in the New Year Tournament in January. 

He joins stablemate Kotomitsuki as a sekiwake and is one rank below ozeki
Kotooshu. With Sadogatake beya wrestlers clogging up the top ranks--and not
allowed to fight each other in regulation bouts--the banzuke is beginning to
resemble the rankings during the eras of dominance enjoyed by Futagoyama
beya and Musashigawa beya in the 1990s and the first half of this decade,
respectively. 

"I'm extremely happy," stablemaster Sadogatake told reporters. "He skipped
komusubi and became a sekiwake. It's rare. 

"His sumo has improved since he has been able to bulldoze opponents out,"
the former sekiwake said. "I've told him he can be even better than Kotooshu
and Kotomitsuki." 

Kotoshogiku was excited at the possibilities his new rank would offer. 

"Sekiwake is a position from which to make the tournament interesting," said
the Fukuoka native, who also suggested his mind is on greater things than
just survival. 

"Promotion to sekiwake is only a passing point on the way to bigger things.
I'll do my best to get a winning record." 

Also making his sanyaku debut is 27-year-old Mongolian Tokitenku, who moves
up to komusubi after scraping home with an 8-7 record as a No. 2 maegashira
in January. 

He is joined at komusubi by compatriot Ama, who returns to sumo's fourth
highest rank after compiling an outstanding 10-5 performance--a brilliant
display of sumo that was overshadowed by the death of his father and injury
to his brother in a car crash at the end of December. 

Making space at the top is Miyabiyama, who drops from sekiwake to No. 3
maegashira, and Kisenosato, whose run at komusubi finally ended with his
demotion to No. 1 maegashira. 

Of the ozeki, Tochiazuma needs eight wins to retain his position in sumo's
second highest rank, while Chiyotaikai moves back into the top eastern slot
at the expense of Kotooshu. 

In the basement, 19-year-old Kasugano stable hotshot Tochiozan makes his
makuuchi debut at No. 14 maegashira--he took 14 tournaments for a tie for
ninth on the all-time list--while former sekiwake Wakanosato creeps back
into the top division at No. 16. 

It has been a long wait for Wakanosato, who was injured in Autumn 2005 and
then freefell through the makuuchi division before bottoming out as a No. 11
juryo wrestler in November.