Twenty-seven-year-old ASASHORYU has risen through the ranks of Japan's national sport, sumo, to become only the 68th sumo wrestler ever to achieve the rank of Yokozuna, or Grand Champion. Asashoryu hails from Mongolia and first came to Japan at the tender age of 16 to try his hand at sumo. He won the first of his many champions in 2002, and as of of September 2006, he won a total of 18 champions - the fifth highest number ever.