Daiamami Genki

Japanese sumo wrestler
1.84 m (6 ft 12 in)Weight182 kg (401 lb; 28 st 9 lb)CareerStableOitekazeUniversityNihon UniversityCurrent ranksee belowDebutJanuary 2016Highest rankMaegashira 11 (May 2018)Championships1 (Jūryō)* Up to date as of 26 November 2023.

Daiamami Genki (Japanese: 大奄美 元規, born December 15, 1992 as Genki Sakamoto (坂元 元規)) is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Tatsugō, Kagoshima. After a successful amateur career, he turned professional in January 2016, making the top makuuchi division in November of the following year. His highest rank has been maegashira 11. He wrestles for Oitekaze stable.

Early life and sumo background

He started sumo in his second year of elementary school, eventually in high school he would go on to win Kanazawa high school sumo tournament helping him to join the prestigious Nihon University sumo program which he would later be Captain. He injured his Medial meniscus in his third year having to undergo corrective surgery to fix. After graduating he became a business association player after finding employment at Nihon University as a staff member. After winning the 2015 Japan Corporate Sumo Tournament one of the four tournaments that grants tsukedashi, he decided to join Oitekaze stable under fellow Nihon University graduate Daishōyama.

Career

He made his debut in January, 2016. Because of his amateur success he was granted a makushita tsukedashi allowing him to skip the lower divisions of sumo. He quickly rose up the ranks recording only one make-koshi or losing record on the way to the makuuchi division. He won the jūryō division yūshō or championship in July 2017 and followed up with another kachi-koshi or winning record in September.[1] He made his makuuchi debut in November 2017 at the rank of maegashira 14.[2] After a 6–9 record he produced kachi-koshi or winning records in his second and third top division tournaments, and was promoted to his highest rank to date of maegashira 11 in May. However he scored only 4–11 in this tournament and was demoted back to jūryō. He returned to makuuchi after the September 2018 tournament where he scored 11–4, losing a playoff for the championship to Tokushōryū. He was unable to get winning records in the November 2018 and January 2019 tournaments and was demoted to jūryō again. He returned to makuuchi in March 2020 following an 11-4 record in the previous tournament, but could only score 5–10 and was again demoted. He returned to the top division a year later in March 2021, and managed to remain in makuuchi for three straight tournaments, but fell back to jūryō in September 2021. During the year 2022, Daiamami rose twice to a position to win the jūryō championship with a score of 11–4. However, he failed both times, the first time against Nishikifuji in May[3] and the second time against Ōshōma in November.[4] In 2023, Daiamami again found himself in a potential championship-winning situation at the July tournament, where he was, however, defeated on the final day in a playoff against Atamifuji.[5]

Fighting style

Daimami is a yotsu-sumo wrestler who prefers grappling techniques to pushing or thrusting. His favoured grip on his opponent's mawashi is migi-yotsu, a left hand outside, right hand inside position. His most common winning kimarite is a straightforward yori-kiri, or push out.

Career record

Daiamami Genki[6]
Year January
Hatsu basho, Tokyo
March
Haru basho, Osaka
May
Natsu basho, Tokyo
July
Nagoya basho, Nagoya
September
Aki basho, Tokyo
November
Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka
2016 Makushita tsukedashi #15
4–3
 
West Makushita #11
4–3
 
East Makushita #9
4–3
 
East Makushita #6
4–3
 
West Makushita #3
4–3
 
West Makushita #1
4–3
 
2017 West Jūryō #13
10–5
 
East Jūryō #9
8–7
 
West Jūryō #7
7–8
 
East Jūryō #8
11–4
Champion

 
East Jūryō #3
9–6
 
West Maegashira #14
6–9
 
2018 East Maegashira #17
8–7
 
East Maegashira #16
10–5
 
East Maegashira #11
4–11
 
East Jūryō #2
6–9
 
East Jūryō #4
11–4–P
 
East Maegashira #15
7–8
 
2019 East Maegashira #16
4–11
 
West Jūryō #3
7–8
 
West Jūryō #3
5–10
 
East Jūryō #8
11–4
 
West Jūryō #1
6–9
 
West Jūryō #4
6–9
 
2020 East Jūryō #6
11–4
 
West Maegashira #17
5–10
 
East Jūryō #4
Tournament Cancelled
0–0–0
East Jūryō #4
7–8
 
West Jūryō #4
7–8
 
East Jūryō #5
9–6
 
2021 West Jūryō #1
8–7
 
West Maegashira #16
9–6
 
West Maegashira #13
7–8
 
East Maegashira #14
4–11
 
East Jūryō #2
7–8
 
East Jūryō #2
6–9
 
2022 East Jūryō #3
7–8
 
East Jūryō #5
7–8
 
East Jūryō #6
11–4–P
 
West Maegashira #16
2–9–4[7]
 
East Jūryō #8
7–8
 
East Jūryō #9
11–4–P
 
2023 West Jūryō #2
5–10
 
West Jūryō #6
6–9
 
East Jūryō #9
7–8
 
East Jūryō #9
11–4–P
 
West Jūryō #2
7–8
 
East Jūryō #4
9–6
 
2024 East Jūryō #1
8–7
 
West Maegashira #16
7–8
 
x x x x
Record given as wins–losses–absencies    Top division champion Top division runner-up Retired Lower divisions Non-participation

Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique     Also shown: =Kinboshi; P=Playoff(s)
Divisions: MakuuchiJūryōMakushitaSandanmeJonidanJonokuchi

Makuuchi ranks: Yokozuna — ŌzekiSekiwakeKomusubiMaegashira

See also

References

  1. ^ "Young rikishi offer new hope for sumo". Japan Times. 23 November 2017. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  2. ^ "Harumafuji tops rankings for Kyushu Basho". Japan Times. 30 October 2017. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  3. ^ "錦富士、大奄美との優勝決定戦制し十両V「うれしいのとやっと終わったという思い」 "Nishikifuji wins the juryo championship decider against Daiamami..."". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 22 May 2022. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  4. ^ "欧勝馬が十両優勝「上でも優勝できるように頑張りたい」幕下、十両を制して次の夢は幕内V". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). 27 November 2022. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  5. ^ "十両は熱海富士が優勝 4敗で並んだ大奄美を決定戦で制す" (in Japanese). Sports Hochi. 23 July 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  6. ^ "Daiamami Genki Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 2018-05-27.
  7. ^ Withdrew from Days 2 to 4 due to injury, and on Day 13 due to COVID protocols

External links

  • Daiamami Genki's official biography (English) at the Grand Sumo Homepage
  • v
  • t
  • e
Active Makuuchi Rikishi[1]
Maegashira #1Maegashira #2Maegashira #3Maegashira #4Maegashira #5
Maegashira #6Maegashira #7Maegashira #8Maegashira #9Maegashira #10
Maegashira #11Maegashira #12Maegashira #13Maegashira #14Maegashira #15Maegashira #16Maegashira #17

Japan Endō
Japan Daiamami


  1. ^ Grand Sumo Tournament Banzuke