Konishiki Yasokichi
|
|
- Konishiki Yasokichi (1896-1901) was also the 17th yokozuna.
Konishiki Yasokichi, (小錦八十吉, born Salevaa Atisanoe on December 31,1963), is a Hawaii-born Samoan sumo wrestler.
Konishiki made his name in Japan by becoming the first foreign born champion, or Ozeki in the Japanese sport of sumo. Ozeki is the second highest rank in the sport. He entered sumo in 1982 and rose to the topmost makuuchi division in two years, a remarkably rapid rise. It took him a further three years to reach Ozeki rank.
Due to his potential he was given the name Konishiki, after the 17th Yokozuna (see List of Yokozuna) who came from the same training stable at the end of the 19th Century (during the Meiji period in Japan).
During his career he won the top division championship on three occasions and came close to becoming the first foreign born grand champion, or yokozuna, prompting first a debate as to whether a foreigner could have the necessary cultural understanding to be acceptable in sumo's ultimate rank. Subsequently after winning two championships in three tournaments he prompted controversy as to whether his non-promotion to yokozuna was based on racism by the Japan Sumo Association who run the sport.
At a typical fighting weight of around 270 kg he was the heaviest rikishi ever in sumo and used his weight to power his opponents out of the ring. However, particularly in latter years, his weight led him to be susceptible to belt throws by lighter and more agile opponents.
He retained his Ozeki rank for more than six years, and carried on fighting in the top division for a further four years. Towards the end of his sumo career he became progressively more popular with many Japanese fans, due his fighting spirit, distinctive bulk and personality.
After his retirement he remained in the Japan Sumo Association as an elder for a short time, before branching out as a Japanese entertainer under the name "KONISHIKI". (The capitalization is an effort to reflect the association's requiring him to write the name in the Roman alphabet,forbidding its being spelled out in Japanese characters,after he left sumo).ja:KONISHIKI