[sumo] [spoiler] Rikishi Talk Basho 4 Day 04

[Barbara]

Rikishi Talk Nagoya Day 04 (Jonosuke)


  Tochiozan
---------
(The only remaining Hiramaku without a loss)
"I guess I am being more successful because I am going out more relaxed 
and at ease."

Tochinonada
-----------
(Downing Kotomitsuki with his favorite Sukui move)
"For myself to beat him there was no other except that. I was trying to 
shake him down but he kind of tripped over."

Kotomitsuki
-----------
(Three bout winning streak coming to a screeching end)
"In some way I was expecting his throw but I rushed myself too much. I 
ended up being half hearted while attempting to execute my move."

Toyonoshima
-----------
(Suffering his first loss)
"I went out more or less all on momentum of winning three straight. I 
went into the tachiai even without thinking about what I wanted to 
accomplish."

Ama
---
"A while back I was just satisfied with staying in Sanyaku. But now I am 
working hard so I can go up higher. For that I need to sharpen my 
tachiai techniques."
(Being the lightest Makuuchi at 123 kg)
"I am working on that too. It's pretty tough to gain weight in Nagoya 
with all this heat but I think I gained 3 or 4 kg here."
"Right now we have Toyonoshima and Kisenosato in Sanyaku. We are all 
younger than 25 years old. I am going in thinking it's up to us to make 
the basho more exciting."
(On hearing the news of his 26 year old cousin finishing the second in 
the Mongolian sumo national tournament, the best finish ever for his 
relations)
"He came over here prior to the Hatsu Basho and we trained together for 
two weeks. We pledged to each other we should do our best. Now that he 
had such a magnificent finish, if I could get a Sansho this basho, I 
want to congratulate him by sending him the prize money of 2 Million Yen 
to him."

Chiyotaikai
-----------
(Unexpectedly getting himself in a yotsu position and winning)
"Yeah I was really surprised. I guess I hit him too good. But you know 
if a guy loses to me with a yotsu-sumo, he must be in a deep shock. But 
you know my winning percentage in a yotsu-zumo is not that bad at all."
"Today's bout was huge. Now the magic number is 5 (to escape the Kadoban)."

Kaio
-----
(Despite suffering from a side injury and his middle taped around, 36 
year old beating 22 year old Kisenosato)
"Well the pain really comes back a little after I finish the bout."
"Actually I felt I came close to suffering another injury today but 
somehow managed to avoid it..."

Hakuho
------
(Seeing Ama in his Ichimon winning four straight)
"I have no doubt he is the closest nan to ozeki. He is moving forward 
well too."

Asashoryu
---------
(Easily taking care of Hokutoriki after being stared hard, recalling 
being stared down by Wakanoho on Day 2)
"I have been stared hard by much lower ranked guys quite a lot lately. 
You know when you get started that hard for that long, you get real 
scared and want to finish them off as quickly possible by beating them 
hard."

Record:
-----
Kaio - Makuuchi 1200th appearance (the sixth most in sumo history)


On this day July 16 in 1972, Maegashira East 4 Takamiyama defeated 
Asahikuni on the Nagoya Basho Senshuraku to finish with 13 wins and 2 
losses to win the yusho, the first foreign born rikishi to win the yusho.

As a newspaper reported then it literally marked the point to open a 
brand new page in the 250 year history of Ozumo. Takamiyama even 
received a congratulatory message from the then US President Richard Nixon.

Since then Konishiki whom Takamiayama scouted and other Hawaiian born 
Akebeono and Musashimari followed the suit with their yusho and 
dominated Ozumo for a generation. Currently there are 14, almost third 
of 42 Makuuchi rikishi who are foreign born. No one can deny Japan's 
national sport keeps changing in a significant way.