Sumo: Nagoya victory still sinking in for 1st-time champion Kotoshoho
Competing as a rank-and-file No. 15 maegashira, the 25-year-old Chiba Prefecture native lifted the Emperor's Cup with a 13-2 record Sunday following his win over rising Ukrainian star Aonishiki.
"It still feels strange to think that I won the championship," Kotoshoho said during a press conference at his Sadogatake stable's base in Nagoya.
He suffered his only losses back-to-back on the fourth and fifth days before closing out the 15-day tournament on a 10-match winning streak, culminating in his victory against the 21-year-old Aonishiki, who entered the final day trailing Kotoshoho by one bout.
Kotoshoho became the inaugural champion at Nagoya's state-of-the-art IG Arena, which was opened ahead of the 15-day tournament.
His win streak included a Day 13 takedown of new yokozuna Onosato, earning Kotoshoho his first career "kinboshi" award for beating a grand champion as a rank-and-file wrestler.
"I wasn't nervous and was able to focus on my opening attack when I stepped onto the ring," he said of the streak. "I was able to concentrate more in the second half of the tournament."
The newly crowned champion said he was able to "use the lessons I learned" from a previous title tilt at the 2023 New Year tournament that ended with his final-day defeat to ozeki Takakeisho.
Blessed with a 190-centimeter, 167-kilogram physique, Kotoshoho was tipped for big things after entering the sumo world in November 2017 out of one of the sport's renowned nurseries, Saitama Sakae High School.
He debuted in the elite makuuchi division in July 2020 and achieved a career-high ranking of maegashira No. 3 in January 2021, but has largely struggled to live up to the high expectations and has bounced between the top two divisions.
Despite dealing with pain in his right thigh, the powerfully built grappler got on a roll in Nagoya by committing to his brand of attacking sumo. He indicated the championship would not affect his approach to the next grand tournament in September.
"I want to do what I need to do without getting carried away," he said.
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