Afrigather After saying his retirement in 2021, Hakuho Sho, believed by many to be the best rikishi in sumo historical past, stated his farewell to the game this weekend in an emotional ceremony on the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo.
As a part of the normal ceremony the outgoing 37-year-old yokozuna carried out his ultimate dohyo-iri, flanked by fellow wrestlers Takakeisho and Hoshoryu. Ozeki Takakeisho, a possible future yokozuna, is coming off a bruising championship victory earlier this month. Sekiwake Hoshoryu, who’s engaged on an ozeki promotion, is Hakuho’s countryman—each of them hailing from Mongolia.
The ceremony included numerous exhibition matches, climaxing in Hakuho’s ultimate ever look within the ring. For his final bout, he took on his younger son. Watch under to see a dad give his child a second he’ll always remember. It may additionally be a sign that the ‘White Fowl’ will not be the final of his line to put on the mawashi.
After the enjoyable and video games it was time for the intense enterprise of reducing Hakuho’s hair, thus symbolizing his exit from competitors. Tons of of individuals reduce strands from Hakuho’s hair earlier than his coach, Chikubayama Masakumi had the last word honour of eradicating the highest knot. Different hair-cutters of notice included former yokozuna Harumafuji (whose involvement prompted Hakuho to cry).
Later Hakuho was pictured along with his new haircut and a go well with (lively rikishi cannot be seen in public sporting fashionable/western clothes).
Hakuho, born Monkhbatyn Davaajargal, debuted in sumo in 2001. Simply six years later he was promoted to yokozuna, at 22-years-old. He was the second ever Mongolian yokozuna (after arch-rival Asashoryu — sumo’s ‘unhealthy boy’ who reportedly didn’t attend the retirement ceremony) and the fourth ever non-Japanese yokozuna.
In 2015 Hakuho gained his thirty third championship, breaking a forty-year previous file for many championships. He went on to win 45 high division championships earlier than saying his retirement in 2021.
Different data held by Hakuho embrace most wins in a calendar yr, most undefeated match championships, most wins within the high division and most profession wins. He’s additionally the longest serving yokozuna of all time.
On paper there is no such thing as a doubt that Hakuho is the best rikishi to ever compete in sumo. Nevertheless, his legacy is a sophisticated one. Hakuho’s profession has been marked with a stage of exuberance that may be completely at residence (and even modest) in most mainstream sports activities. Nevertheless, in sumo, the place wrestlers are anticipated to uphold inhuman ranges of decorum and stoicism, a light fist-pump by a rikishi will be seen as blasphemous.
Exterior of Japan (or the echo-chamber of sumo purism), it’s straightforward to acknowledge Hakuho as not simply the best rikishi ever, however as additionally top-of-the-line athletes ever. His mixture of energy, dexterity and guile made his bouts (and now spotlight reels) must-see TV (and the odd fist pump didn’t damage, both).
Hakuho is a holder of elder inventory, that means he’s permitted to coach different rikishi and personal a secure. He has already been instrumental in nurturing expertise at his present secure, which incorporates the wildly common Enho and the teenage phenom Ochiai (who went undefeated this month in his professional match debut).
Regardless of him not showing within the ring himself anymore, the identify Hakuho will certainly be synonymous for sumo for a lot of generations to come back.
