Harumafuji promoted to yokozuna

Ozeki Harumafuji officially became the 70th yokozuna in sumo history on Wednesday after the Japan Sumo Association finalized the promotion of the Mongolian wrestler during its executive committee meeting.

Heavy lifting: Harumafuji is carried by his stablemates after being promoted to yokozuna on Wednesday. KYODO

JSA executives rubber-stamped the promotion of Harumafuji based on the recommendation unanimously made Monday by members of the Yokozuna Deliberation Council, an advisory body to the association, after the 28-year-old wrestler secured back-to-back tournament titles with his victory at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament last week at Ryogoku Kokugikan.

"I accept this humbly," Harumafuji said. "With the awareness of what it means to be a yokozuna, I will devote my body and soul to the way of sumo. Because I am who I am, all I can do is give my all in my own way. I want to get the most out of each and every day.

"I am full of gratitude. My desire to put forth a greater effort has gotten stronger. These past two days have been like a dream."

Harumafuji, whose real name is Davaanyam Byambadorj, became the first yokozuna since compatriot Hakuho was promoted after the summer basho in May 2007.

Hakuho has been wrestling as the lone yokozuna in the premier makuuchi division since Asashoryu retired in February 2010 after assaulting a man outside a Tokyo nightclub. He will now be joined at the top by Harumafuji beginning at the Kyushu meet in Fukuoka in November.

A native of Ulan Bator, Harumafuji underlined his yokozuna credentials after clinching his fourth career title with a perfect 15-0 record that included an epic final-day win over Hakuho on Sunday. He had set up his third bid for promotion to yokozuna by also going unbeaten en route to the Nagoya title in July.

A relative lightweight known for his speed, particularly at the tachi-ai, or initial charge, Harumafuji is the fifth foreign-born yokozuna, following in the footsteps of Akebono from Hawaii, Samoan-born Musashimaru, Asashoryu and Hakuho.

"This (becoming a yokozuna) was a dream that was distant, very distant," Harumafuji said. "I think I have been very fortunate.

"That this has come to pass is due to all the support I have received from various quarters. I am very happy that I have been able to repay a small amount of my debt of gratitude."

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Harumafuji — sumo's 70th yokozuna

The 2012 Aki Basho will forever be remembered as the tournament at which ozeki Harumafuji, winner of the previous Nagoya Basho with a perfect 15-0 record, mirrored his performance in July and guaranteed his promotion to the rank of yokozuna.

He will be the 70th individual in the 255 years since the sport's first official ranking sheet was released to hold the title, and will now compete with his predecessor Hakuho to be ranked on the more prestigious eastern side of the banzuke.

In what was perhaps one of the most dominant displays of sumo by an ozeki since the ascent of Hakuho five years ago, or perhaps Takanohana back in 1994, the 28-year-old Mongolian has certainly earned his place atop the roughly 650 men now in sumo, but questions must be asked about how long he will stay there.

As there is no demotion from the rank of yokozuna, and less than stellar performances are rewarded only by talk of when an incumbent should retire, some are already linking the promotion of a 28-year-old to either early, forced retirement or a period of great success.

The former would not be unlike the brief 18-month spell at the top enjoyed by his own, then 30-year-old, stablemaster Asahifuji in 1990, the latter similar to almost 30 championships achieved after Chiyonofuji was promoted in 1881 when he was approaching 27.

Proceedings in the early part of the Aki Basho, though, were slightly marred by the withdrawal on Day 6 of three ozeki: Kotooshu, Baruto, and Kotoshogiku. They all claimed injury, meaning they could no longer continue, although this should have little or no bearing on the eventual decision to promote Harumafuji.

Interestingly, according to one sumo commentator, clear and resounding boos could be heard around the Kokugikan when fans learned of Kotooshu's previously unannounced absence on Day 6, although NHK tried to pass these noises off as sighs of disappointment.

Four days later, on Day 10, Hakuho fell for the first time to rank-and-filer Tochiozan, who was collecting his first grand-champion scalp. With the remaining ozeki duo of Kakuryu (11-4) and Kisenosato (10-5) both already out of the running by Day 10, the loss made it necessary for Hakuho to switch to a game of catch-up.

Staying unbeaten, the current yokozuna had to beat the 14-0 Harumafuji on the final day in a packed Kokugikan to at least force a play-off, but after a classic bout that lasted almost two minutes, Hakoho was overcome by an underarm throw. Both men hit the dirt in quick succession, but Hakuho went down first. Harumafuji picked himself up, walked back to his side of the dohyo and took the last-ever bow he will take to an opponent as an ozeki.

Notification of his promotion will be delivered to his stable in the next few days, and in Fukuoka, come mid-November, he will have his own ring-entering ceremony, his own tsuna belt only yokozuna are allowed to wear, and even his own ceremonial sword.

For the first time since Asashoryu's less-than-honorable retirement in early 2010, sumo will have two yokozuna.

Away from the top flight, long-time sekitori Kokkai from Georgia finally called it quits after 12 years in the sport. Along the way he set a record for continual appearances on the dohyo at 882. The highlight of his career was a 2005 victory over former yokozuna Asashoryu. As a former komusubi, he will have his retirement ceremony in the main stadium some time next year at a date yet to be decided.

Down in sandanme, ranked 75th in the division, Egyptian Oosunaarashi had some of the wind taken out of his sails, beaten by a future Japanese sekitori named Hamaguchi on Day 13. His eventual 6-1 record, however, will see a hefty promotion toward the upper echelons of the division, and if he keeps going as he is now, he could find himself a sekitori in juryo by mid-2013. Hamaguchi will likely make the rise faster and is definitely one to watch for fans of homegrown rikishi.

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Yokozuna body recommends Harumafuji's promotion

The Yokozuna Deliberation Council, a powerful advisory body to the Japan Sumo Association, unanimously recommended promoting Mongolian ozeki Harumafuji to the sport's highest rank of yokozuna on Monday.

The JSA is set to rubber-stamp Harumafuji's promotion at its executive committee meeting Wednesday, making him the 70th yokozuna in sumo history and first since fellow Mongolian Hakuho was promoted for the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament in May 2007.

The 28-year-old, whose real name is Davaanyam Byambadorj, gained the nod from the council after sealing back-to-back Emperor's Cups and the fourth of his career on Sunday.

Harumafuji tossed down Hakuho in a thrilling final bout at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament in Tokyo, finishing with a flawless 15-0 record for the second meet in succession.

Monday's decision by the council means sumo will have more than one yokozuna for the first time since 2010. Hakuho has been the only yokozuna since Asashoryu retired in February that year.

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Harumafuji wins title, set for yokozuna rank

Mongolian ozeki Harumafuji defeated countryman and yokozuna Hakuho in an epic final bout to win the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Sunday, virtually guaranteeing himself promotion to the sport's top rank of yokozuna.

All together now: Harumafuji celebrates victory in the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Sunday, his second title in a row. KYODO

Harumafuji has not only met the Japan Sumo Association's yokozuna promotion standard of back-to-back championships having triumphed in Nagoya in July, but he has done it in style with another spotless 15-0 record en route to his fourth overall title.

"Right now I am full of gratitude to my ancestors and my mother and father for giving me this strength," said the 28-year-old Harumafuji, whose real name is Davaanyam Byambadorj.

"Through fate I met a great stablemaster and more than anything I am glad I have been able to pay back all the people that have supported me."

Hakuho appeared to have the upper hand early in the bout but failed in his attempt to kill the ozeki off with an attempted leg trip.

Harumafuji then got in low and gained control, and after the pair traded shoves, the wrestler formerly known as Ama picked his moment to put Hakuho on one leg before taking him down with a textbook shitatenage underarm throw.

"Today I squeezed out every drop of strength I have and I am glad I could respond to the expectations people had in me," Harumafuji said. "I want to continue and wrestle in a way that moves peoples and provides them with courage and hope."

The yokozuna deliberation council will meet Monday to discuss the promotion which is set to be rubber-stamped at a JSA board meeting on Wednesday. Harumafuji will be the first wrestler to be promoted to yokozuna since Hakuho for the 2007 Nagoya meet.

"I'll summon the board," said JSA chairman Kitanoumi, his comments indicating the promotion is a done deal. "He (Harumafuji) must have been under enormous pressure but he really came through it well."

"If he gets the move up he will naturally start to carry himself differently and exude the class (of a yokozuna). I hope he sticks to what he has been doing and fulfills his responsibility."

Hakuho, who has been the only yokozuna since Asashoryu retired in February 2010 after assaulting a man outside a Tokyo nightclub, finished at 13-2 and now has not won a title since the spring meet in March.

In an all-ozeki battle in the preceding bout, Kakuryu saw off Kisenosato with a barrage of thrusts to wrap up with an 11-4 record. Kisenosato was 10-5.

Only three of six wrestlers in the ozeki rank managed to last the distance. Kotoshogiku, Estonian giant Baruto and Bulgarian Kotooshu all pulled out midway through the meet due to injury.

In other bouts of note, sekiwake debutant Myogiryu was for the fourth time awarded the Technique Prize, one of three special awards handed out on the final day, but the sheen was taken off his achievement by fourth-ranked Aminishiki, who scored a thrust-down win to leave both men at 10-5.

Veteran 11th-ranked maegashira Kyokutenho, who pulled off a shock championship win at the summer basho in May only to bomb in Nagoya with a 3-12 mark, was overpowered by sekiwake Goeido and missed out on the Fighting Spirit Prize after finishing 10-5.

Goeido secured a majority of wins in closing at 8-7.

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