[sumo] Some fresh new hopes from lower ranks

[Moti]

Asahi did some profiles on a few promising rikishi. I would go out on a 
steak limb and say all of these guys will be sekitori, and not in the 
too-distant future. Today, we shall introduce two of them.

First guy-Daishouyuu, Marvin Jr. Sano, American father, Japanese mother. 
1.75/150 kilos. 7-0 in Jonidan and Sandanme but lost in the playoffs in 
both. Entered sumo - January 2006.
In Hatsu, he made a mage( the special hairdo that separates man from 
boy) for the first time. "I got my hair pulled and it hurt..", he said. 
Till then he sported a huge Afro, and because of his darkish complexion 
he was known as "Downtown Akebono". But the real story concerns 
Takanohana. When he was in grade school, he climbed the dohyo during one 
of the NHK charity Sumo shows, and "borrowed" the then Yokozuna 
Takanohana's chest. Shouyuu reached out to grasp the front of Taka's 
mawashi, and Taka told him "Don't grab the mawashi, push!!".
He was born and raised in Japan. He wanted to follow his hero Takanohana 
and tried to enter his alma mater Tokyo Meidai but failed the exams. He 
went to Saitama Sakae, the famous rikishi breeding ground. The team has 
won the All-Japan Senior High school championships for two years 
running, since 2004. In Hatsu, he was 5-2 from Makushita 35. On his KK 
match he immediately grasped the front of his opponent's mawashi with 
both hands and quickly won by yorikiri. Takanohana saw his satisfactory 
match from ringside as shinpan. After the match, he bumped into Taka in 
the corridor. "That was good sumo, n-kay? ", said Takanohana. "That 
really made me happy..", said Daishouyuu. That was something to 
remember. The ideal is to do that kind of front- moving attacking sumo. 
"I'd like to do faster sumo", he summed up.
He is Makushita 23 for Haru 2007.

19 year old Tochinoshin is the second hope from Kasugano-beya after new 
Makuuchi Tochiouzan. 190/136 kilos, Georgian. 7-0 in Jonidan, lost in 
the playoffs. World Juniors Amateur Championships heavyweight class 
second place in his past. Entered sumo - March 2006.
Tochinoshin is slowly gaining strength and reached Makushita for the 
first time in Hatsu 2007. 5-2 from Makushita 59 in Hatsu. He has no MK 
so far in 5 bashos and is steadily improving. On day 12 last basho he 
got his favorite migi-yotsu and was on his way to a certain win when he 
inadvertently stepped out first and lost. The reason for his loss was 
that he stopped attacking when he should have followed through till the 
end. After that loss, he was standing red-faced and remorseful in front 
of the shitakubeya, when his Georgian compatriot Gagamaru gave him some 
advice. "The minute you get hold of the mawashi, just go forward". He 
heeded this advice on senshuraku. He got his migi-yotsu and pushed all 
the way without stopping, and finished off with a throw. "To beat the 
top ranked Makushita guys, I've got to do a stronger tachi-ai", he 
reflected, remembering not to forget. His oyakata had this to say about 
him: "His forte is his migi-yotsu style. After that, he just has to 
push.." If he can get more power in his charge, he may be able to meet 
his goal of getting a Juryo promotion this year.
Makushita 41 for Haru.


-- 
Kintamayama

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