Kisenosato Yutaka

Sumo wrestler infobox
wrestlername = 稀勢の里 寛 Kisenosato Yutaka


realname = Yutaka Hagiwara
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1986|7|3
placeofbirth = Ibaraki, Japan
height = height|meters=1.88
weight = convert|156|kg|lb|abbr=on
heya = Naruto
rank = Maegashira 2
record = 273-216-0
debut = March, 2002
highestrank = Komusubi (July, 2006)
yushos = 1 (Makushita)
prizes = Outstanding Performance (2) Fighting Spirit (2)
goldstars = 2 (Asashōryū (1) Hakuho (1))
weburl = http://homepage2.nifty.com/naruto-beya Naruto stable
update = Sept 2008

Kisenosato Yutaka (born July 3, 1986 as Yutaka Hagiwara) is a sumo wrestler from Ibaraki, Japan. The highest rank he has reached is "komusubi."

Career

Kisenosato joined Naruto stable and fought his first bout in March 2003 under his own surname of Hagiwara. He rose quickly through the divisions, entering the second "jūryō" division in May 2004, aged 17 years and 9 months, the second youngest ever "jūryō" wrestler after Takanohana, who Kisenosato had idolised when he was a boy. [citeweb|title=Featured Rikishi: Kisenosato|publisher=sumoforum.net|url=http://www.sumoforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=10503|date=December 2006|accessdate=2008-02-10] Three tournaments later, in November 2004, he entered the top "makuuchi" division, again the second youngest (18 years 3 months) after Takanohana. To mark his entry into the top division he assumed the name Kisenosato.

After entering the top division his rise slowed significantly; his only spectacular result in 2005 being 12 wins against 3 losses in the September 2005 tournament, where he was runner-up and was awarded the Fighting Spirit prize. He was promoted to the rank of "komusubi" in July 2006, which he held until March 2007 when he fell back to "maegashira" 1. In July 2007 he turned in a strong 11-4 record and derailed Kotomitsuki's hopes of a tournament championship on the final day by slapping him down. This earned him promotion back to "komusubi" for September.

Kisenosato has been involved in some controversial bouts with "yokozuna" Asashōryū. He defeated him for the first time in September 2006, and was awarded the Outstanding Performance Prize. Shaken by this, Asashōryū responded in the next tournament by leaping to the side at the "tachi-ai" and employing a highly unusual leg kicking technique called "ketaguri". Afterwards Asashōryū was criticised by the Yokozuna Deliberation Committee for using this rare move. In March 2007 Kisenosato slapped Asashōryū around the face during their match. Asashōryū was so riled by this that he gave Kisenosato a small kick in the back after the bout was over, which prompted much criticism from the Japanese media.

Kisenosato defeated Asashōryū once again in the "yokozuna"'s comeback tournament in January 2008, earning him his first gold star (his first win over Asashōryū had been at "komusubi" rank so he was ineligible then) and his second Outstanding Performance Prize. Returning to "komusubi" in the March 2008 tournament, he lost to Asashōryū on the opening day but defeated three out of four "ozeki" and held his rank with an 8-7 score.

In May 2008 he scored another win over Asashōryū on opening day, finishing with a strong 10-5 record and a share of the Fighting Spirit prize. Despite this he failed to be promoted to "sekiwake," only the third time since 15 day tournaments were introduced in 1949 that a "komusubi" with ten wins has not moved up the rankings. Kisenosato has now spent eight tournaments at "komusubi" without making "sekiwake", which has only happened to three previous wrestlers, Dewanishiki, Fujinishiki and Takamiyama. [cite web|title=2008 July Grand Sumo Banzuke Topics|publisher=Japan Sumo Association|url=http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/eng/hon_basho/topics/banzuke_topics.html|date=2008-06-30|accessdate=2008-06-30] Back in the "maegashira" ranks for the September 2008 tournament, he was the only man to defeat tournament winner Hakuhō, earning him his second gold star, but he fell short with six wins against nine losses.

Still aged only 22, Kisenosato is regarded as one of the most promising Japanese sumo wrestlers. [cite web|author=Buckton, Mark|title=How firm is the reign of the Mongolians?|url=http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/ss20080508mb.html|publisher=Japan Times|date=2008-05-08|accessdate=2008-05-12]

Top division record

References

ee also

*Glossary of sumo terms
*List of active sumo wrestlers

External links

*Japanese Sumo Association Biography [http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/eng/ozumo_meikan/rikishi_joho/rikishi_2445.html (English)] [http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/ozumo_meikan/rikishi_joho/rikishi_2445.html Japanese)]
* [http://www.szumo.hu/sekitori/Kisenosato.html Kisenosato's basho results]
* [http://www.fsinet.or.jp/~sumo/profile/1/20041102.htm Biography and basho results (Japanese)]