THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
January 26, 2020 at 18:40 JST
For only the second time, the lowest ranked sumo wrestler in the top makuuchi division walked away with the Emperor’s Cup.
Tokushoryu, 33, had a difficult time remaining in the top division, but he made the best of his return as maegashira No. 17 by winning the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament in Tokyo on Jan. 26 with a 14-1 record.
He pushed out ozeki Takakeisho on the final day after defeating Shodai on Jan. 25, when both entered the dohyo with identical 12-1 records.
The last time the lowest ranked makuuchi wrestler came out on top was when Takatoriki won the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament of 2000 as maegashira No. 14.
But Tokushoryu, whose highest rank until now was maegashira No. 4, is the first wrestler to win a tournament marking his return to the makuuchi division.
Tokushoryu is also only the second wrestler from Nara Prefecture to win a tournament, following Tsurugahama, who won the 1922 spring tournament.
And at 33 years and five months, Tokushoryu is the third oldest tournament winner since the current system of six tournaments a year started in 1958.
Tokushoryu first entered the makuuchi division in the 2013 Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament, but he was never able to reach one of the higher ranks and was repeatedly demoted to the juryo division.
He returned to the makuuchi division in the latest tournament for the first time in four tournaments.
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Tokushoryu receives the Emperor's Cup from Hakkaku, chairman of the Japan Sumo Association, at Ryogoku Kokugikan on Jan. 26. (Kazuhiro Nagashima)
