Sumo: Onosato promoted to ozeki at record pace after 9 meets

KYODO
September 26, 2024

Rising star Onosato won promotion to sumo's second-highest rank of ozeki at a record pace of nine professional tournaments on Wednesday, after Japan Sumo Association board members unanimously agreed on his new ranking.

"I'll aim to be a one-of-a-kind sumo wrestler," the 24-year-old from Ishikawa Prefecture in central Japan said after receiving the news from JSA messengers at his Nishonoseki stable in Ami, Ibaraki Prefecture, northeast of Tokyo.

"I took each meet aiming to go higher up in the rankings as fast as I could. I'm glad it paid off."

Sumo wrestler Onosato holds a press conference at his stable in Ami, Ibaraki Prefecture, on Sept. 25, 2024, after accepting his promotion to the sport's second-highest rank of ozeki at a ceremony in the eastern Japan town. Onosato clinched the Emperor's Cup in the 15-day Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament in Tokyo that concluded on Sept. 22. (Kyodo

Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament winner this month with a 13-2 record, Onosato was only waiting for confirmation of his promotion after going one win above the usual requirement of 33 wins over three straight meets wrestling either as sekiwake or komusubi.

He comfortably eclipsed the previous fastest ozeki promotion record of 12 meets since the start of the Showa era in 1926, which was held jointly by former yokozuna Haguroyama as well as former ozeki Yutakayama and Miyabiyama.

While Onosato's hair has grown long enough to form a "chonmage" topknot, his meteoric rise still came too quickly to form the "oicho" hairstyle -- named after the ginkgo leaf -- donned by makuuchi and second-tier juryo wrestlers.

"I didn't think he would get promoted this early," stablemaster Nishonoseki, the former yokozuna Kisenosato, said of Onosato.

"He'll need at least double-digit wins at each meet here onward. The expectations toward him will get bigger too, so I hope he trains even more and devotes himself."

Onosato made his debut at the Summer meet in May last year as No. 10 in the third-tier makushita division, a head start granted to those who had strong amateur records.

Going 11-4 on his top-tier makuuchi debut at this year's New Year meet in January and the Spring meet in March, the 192-centimeter, 182-kilogram grappler went 12-3 in May as komusubi for his maiden Emperor's Cup.

He could only post a 9-6 as sekiwake at the Nagoya meet in July when a strong record could have landed him promotion to ozeki despite not yet fighting in three straight meets as sekiwake or komusubi, in an exception to his superb form until then.

But he only had to wait for another meet, reaching the required 33 wins on Friday and winning his second title on Saturday with a day to spare during his overwhelming Autumn meet performances at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan.

"Given I've reached this rank, I'll be even more aware of myself. The results will be everything from here, and I'll look to train well heading into the Kyushu meet (in November)," said Onosato, who did not hide his ambition to reach the exalted rank of yokozuna.

"I believe things really start here. I'll aim to go higher and higher."

At his press conference, Onosato addressed the disaster in Ishikawa where heavy rains last week left seven dead and some still missing, after his home prefecture was devastated by a magnitude 7.6 earthquake on New Year's Day that left hundreds dead.

"The Noto region, including the city of Wajima, is under harsh conditions. I hoped I could bring them some positive news through my title and ozeki promotion," Onosato said.

"Even if it's just a little bit, I hope they can get energy from watching my sumo."