Photo/Illutration Ozeki Takakeisho participates in an online news conference on Jan. 23, the day after he clinched his third career championships at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament in Tokyo. (Provided by the Japan Sumo Association)

A day after capturing his third title, lone ozeki Takakeisho looked back on the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament as a reward for the two years of hard work since he last hefted the Emperor’s Cup.

For his next act, he plans to continue working just as hard as the triumph puts promotion to yokozuna in his grasp at the spring tournament. 

In an online interview on Jan. 23, Takakeisho said he was at times forced to accept falling short of his expectations despite the daily effort he had put in the past two years.

“But those days were not a waste,” he said.

With the absence of lone yokozuna Terunofuji due to injury, he was the highest-ranking wrestler entering the 15-day competition at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo.

That means that he needed to prove his worth as ozeki.

“I knew that I cannot afford to stumble” with that status, the 26-year-old said. “The thought can come as pressure, but I was grateful to fight in the final bout” each day of the tournament, which is reserved for the highest-ranked wrestler.

The last tournament showed that Takakeisho has added to his repertoire and could defeat opponents with other than his powerful pushing and thrusting, his trademark style since he made his professional debut. 

He won three bouts with an arm throw, including the one that took rank-and-filer Kotoshoho, his rival in the title race, to the dirt on the final day. The ozeki finished the 15-day tourney with a 12-3 mark, matching his record in the November tournament, which he lost in a three-way playoff. 

“I have practiced the technique for a year now,” Takakeisho said, adding that winning with an arm throw against wrestlers in higher ranks proved difficult as they were formidable opponents. “But my continued practice bore fruit during the last tournament.”

The focus of attention for the next tournament in March in Osaka will be whether he can finally earn promotion to yokozuna by winning another championship.

To reach the highest rank of yokozuna, an ozeki must win two tournaments in a row or post an equivalent number of wins.

“All I can do is just work as hard as I can,” Takakeisho said. “I will give it my all, also to achieve the dream of people who have supported me.”

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