Sumo: Surprise leader Ichiyamamoto 1st to record 8 wins at IG Arena
The 31-year-old from Hokkaido improved to 8-1 with a victory over sixth-ranked maegashira Gonoyama before his three overnight co-leaders, including sekiwake Kirishima, incurred losses on Day 9.
While he regularly opens with a hand thrust, Ichiyamamoto attacked head-first against fellow Chuo University alumnus Gonoyama.
"I didn't want to lose," Ichiyamamoto said. "I thought he'd get the upper hand if I didn't hit him firmly."
Ichiyamamoto served as an attendant in the grand champion's ring-entry ceremony for the first time on Day 9, standing in for komusubi Takayasu ahead of his match with yokozuna Onosato.
The maegashira said he was relieved that the newly promoted Onosato went on to win the day's ultimate bout.
"If I was the attendant and the yokozuna lost, it would seem like I brought him bad luck," Ichiyamamoto said.
The pusher-thruster from the Hanaregoma stable has not led at this stage of a 15-day tournament since the November 2023 Kyushu meet, when he went on to win 11 bouts and earn a Fighting Spirit Prize.
The last wrestler from Hokkaido to lift the Emperor's Cup was yokozuna Hokutoumi, now Japan Sumo Association chief Hakkaku, at the 1991 Spring meet.
"Ichiyamamoto has a great opportunity," Hakkaku said. "I hope he can stay in the running for the championship for as long as possible."
Ichiyamamato, whose career high ranking is maegashira No. 4, said he simply hoped to move up in the rankings before heading back to his home prefecture next month during sumo's summer tour.
"I want to go home with good results," he said. "I hope I can move up at least one rank."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yomiuri Shimbun
7 hours ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Sumo Scene / Nagoya Tourney Strides into Future in Striking New Venue
The venues for grand sumo tournaments rarely change. For four decades since opening in 1985, Ryogoku Kokugikan arena in Tokyo, which also serves as the Japan Sumo Association's headquarters, has been the familiar home for the capital's three annual tournaments. But right now as July temperatures soar outside, the heated matches of the Nagoya tournament are being seen daily inside a new venue for the first time in 60 years. The new facility is called 'IG Arena.' IG is the name of an England-based securities company that paid for the naming rights. The Aichi prefectural government and other entities built the arena as a successor to Aichi Prefectural Gym, the venerable arena located in the vicinity of Nagoya Castle that had long hosted the city's annual tournament. Its sheer size makes IG Arena a sight to behold. It has a total floor area of 63,000 square meters, a ceiling 30 meters high and a maximum seating capacity of 17,000 for all manner of events. However, to ensure optimal viewing for sumo spectators, the capacity was limited during the tournament to about 7,800 for the three types of seating: ringside, box and chair. Given that the Nagoya tournament is also the inaugural event of the new arena, many fans are eagerly awaiting to see which wrestler will be the first to lift the Emperor's Cup there. The first tournament held at the current Ryogoku Kokugikan in 1985 was won by legendary yokozuna Chiyonofuji, who was in his prime at the time. Such milestone events seemed to make Chiyonofuji even stronger, as he also came away with the title at the first Kyu-shu tournament held at the Fukuoka Kokusai Center when it opened in 1981. Tochinishiki, an ozeki at the time who later became a yokozuna, won the title when the Osaka Prefectural Gym hosted its first Spring tourney in 1953. In 1965, the first tourney held at Aichi Prefectural Gym was won by the great yokozuna Taiho, who dominated sumo in the Showa era (1926-1989). The winners of these maiden tournaments form an illustrious lineup indeed. The Nagoya tournament will likely continue at the new arena for years to come. The moment when a new name is carved into sumo history there will be one to remember. — Kamimura is a sumo expert.
Kyodo News
a day ago
- Kyodo News
Sumo: Ichiyamamoto falls into share of lead, Onosato stays in hunt
NAGOYA - Rank-and-filer Ichiyamamoto suffered his second loss of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament at the hands of veteran komusubi Takayasu on Wednesday, dropping him into a four-way tie for the lead at 9-2. Grand champion Onosato, the lone yokozuna at Nagoya's new IG Arena after Hoshoryu's injury withdrawal, managed to beat Mongolian-born sekiwake Kirishima, leaving the two at 8-3 after Day 11 of the 15-day tournament. Onosato is bidding to win his yokozuna debut tournament after winning the previous two meets in March and May to raise his career top-division title count to four. No. 8 maegashira Ichiyamamoto is now tied for the lead with rising Ukrainian star Aonishiki, Kusano and Kotoshoho, fellow maegashira wrestlers who are ranked first, 14th and 15th. Former ozeki Takayasu (8-3) executed an underarm throw to win his hard-fought battle against Ichiyamamoto, a 31-year-old who is looking for his first championship in the elite makuuchi division. "Without giving up, I've been trying to improve my sumo, so I'm glad to have secured a winning record," Takayasu said. "I wanted to take the initiative (against Ichiyamamoto). He was tough and made me work hard for the win." Aonishiki continued his impressive run with a force-out victory over No. 2 maegashira Abi (6-5). Trailing behind at 8-3 are Onosato, Kirishima, Takayasu, No. 4 maegashira Tamawashi, No. 10 maegashira Atamifuji and No. 16 maegashira Mitakeumi. Struggling ozeki Kotozakura (6-5) picked up an important victory in his attempt to secure at least a winning record of 8-7, defeating 40-year-old iron man Tamawashi.
The Mainichi
a day ago
- The Mainichi
Sumo: Ichiyamamoto falls into share of lead, Onosato stays in hunt
NAGOYA (Kyodo) -- Rank-and-filer Ichiyamamoto suffered his second loss of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament at the hands of veteran komusubi Takayasu on Wednesday, dropping him into a four-way tie for the lead at 9-2. Grand champion Onosato, the lone yokozuna at Nagoya's new IG Arena after Hoshoryu's injury withdrawal, managed to beat Mongolian-born sekiwake Kirishima, leaving the two at 8-3 after Day 11 of the 15-day tournament. Onosato is bidding to win his yokozuna debut tournament after winning the previous two meets in March and May to raise his career top-division title count to four. No. 8 maegashira Ichiyamamoto is now tied for the lead with rising Ukrainian star Aonishiki, Kusano and Kotoshoho, fellow maegashira wrestlers who are ranked first, 14th and 15th. Former ozeki Takayasu (8-3) executed an underarm throw to win his hard-fought battle against Ichiyamamoto, a 31-year-old who is looking for his first championship in the elite makuuchi division. "Without giving up, I've been trying to improve my sumo, so I'm glad to have secured a winning record," Takayasu said. "I wanted to take the initiative (against Ichiyamamoto). He was tough and made me work hard for the win." Aonishiki continued his impressive run with a force-out victory over No. 2 maegashira Abi (6-5). Trailing behind at 8-3 are Onosato, Kirishima, Takayasu, No. 4 maegashira Tamawashi, No. 10 maegashira Atamifuji and No. 16 maegashira Mitakeumi. Struggling ozeki Kotozakura (6-5) picked up an important victory in his attempt to secure at least a winning record of 8-7, defeating 40-year-old iron man Tamawashi.
