Photo/Illutration Ichinojo gives the championship interview after he garnered his first career title at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament on July 24 with a 12-3 record. (Kazuhiro Nagashima)

A triumphant Ichinojo looked back on the many years since he boarded a flight to Japan from his native Mongolia along with another aspiring young sumo wrestler who would rise to the top of the sport.

On July 24, rank-and-filer Ichinojo finally got the better of yokozuna Terunofuji, his countryman and fellow passenger, to claim his first championship, which he had long sought since making his professional debut in 2014. 

“It was indeed a long path until I won the title,” the maegashira No. 2 said at an online news conference on July 25.

Ichinojo, who is a hefty 192 centimeters tall and weighs 211 kilograms, captured the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament with a 12-3 record the day before.

Ichinojo and Terunofuji, the lone yokozuna, entered the final day of the 15-day tourney at the Dolphins Arena in Nagoya tied with 11-3 marks.

In an earlier bout, Ichinojo improved to 12-3 with a win against Ura, maegashira No. 3, putting the pressure on Terunofuji, who was competing in the final bout of the day. 

Ichinojo, 29, avoided a playoff as the 30-year-old yokozuna lost to ozeki Takakeisho, ending with a 11-4 record.

After arriving in Japan in 2010, Ichinojo and Terunofuji attended Tottori Johoku High School in Tottori Prefecture, which is known for its strong sumo team, before they moved on to the professional ranks.

“This was my first time to compete with yokozuna Terunofuji for the championship,” Ichinojo said. “I had not fared well and could not outperform him for a long time. But I could this time and I am happy to pull it off.”

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