Sumo is facing a potential chasm at the top of the ancient sport for the first time in over 30 years after the only yokozuna, Terunofuji (pic), announced his retirement yesterday.
The Mongolian-born 33-year-old has been the only top-ranked sumo for more than three years, and only 73 wrestlers have reached his level in the history of the centuries-old sport.
But Terunofuji has struggled with injuries and withdrew from the ongoing New Year Grand Sumo Tournament in Tokyo on Thursday after forfeiting his bout.
He told reporters that he was retiring to train young wrestlers after “a tough 14 years” in the ring.
“I’ve given everything but at this tournament I wasn’t able to perform as I’d like and you shouldn’t enter the ring if your mind and body are at half-strength,” he said.
“I feel that my body isn’t up to sumo so I have decided to retire.”
Terunofuji, who has won 10 tournaments in his career, is sumo’s only active yokozuna.
Mongolian Hoshoryu has a chance to gain promotion to the exalted rank if he impresses at the New Year tournament. He had four wins and one loss after the opening five days.
If he fails, sumo will have no yokozuna for the first time since March 1993, when Hawaiian-born Akebono made his debut at the rank.
“When I first became a yokozuna, I didn’t think I would be able to continue wrestling for very long,” said Terunofuji, who was promoted to the top rank in July 2021.
Terunofuji has been sumo’s lone yokozuna since the September 2021 retirement of Hakuho, who had a record 45 tournament victories. — AFP
