Tsurugishō Momotarō
Japanese sumo wrestler
1 (Makushita)
1 (Jonidan)
1 (Jonokuchi)
Tsurugishō Momotarō (Japanese: 剣翔 桃太郎, born 27 July 1991 as Kentarō Abiko (安彦 剣太郎, Abiko Kentarō)) is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Katsushika, Tokyo. He is a graduate of Nihon University. His highest rank has been maegashira 6. He won a Fighting Spirit Prize in his debut tournament in the top makuuchi division in September 2019.[1] He is a member of the Oitekaze stable.
Career
Tsurugishō was an amateur wrestler at Nihon University, and although he did not win an individual title he was on the winning team in the Student Yokozuna 2012 championships. He entered professional sumo in January 2014. He rose up the ranks quickly, winning championships in the jonokuchi, jonidan and makushita divisions before slowing down a little and spending eight tournaments in makushita. He won promotion to the jūryō division after the November 2015 tournament, and adopted a new shikona, having previously fought under his family name of Abiko. He wanted a two-kanji name to make it easy to remember, and suggested "Ken" from his own first name, combined with the "shō" suffix common at his Oitekaze stable. However, as "kenshō" is the name used for the prize money awarded after a bout it was therefore unavailable, and he used the reading "Tsurugi" instead.
He took some time to settle in jūryō, recording a succession of 7–8 and 8–7 scores, before suffering a setback in March 2018 with his first double-digit loss score of 4–11. However he recovered to post 11–4 in the following tournament, and in July 2019 he won the jūryō championship with a 13–2 record to earn promotion to the top makuuchi division. He was the eighth member of Oitekaze stable to win promotion to the top division since his stablemaster, ex-maegashira Daishōyama, opened the heya in 1998. He had a strong debut, scoring double-digit wins and staying in contention for the championship with a win over Takarafuji on Day 13.[2] Although he lost his last two matches he was awarded the Fighting Spirit Prize on Day 15. He was promoted to a new highest rank of maegashira 7 for the November 2019 tournament, but could only score 6–9 there. He suffered a left knee injury in January 2020,[3] but competed until the end of the tournament, again scoring 6–9. He entered in March but withdrew on Day 5, with the medical certificate citing a left knee anterior cruciate ligament injury.[4] By the time of the next tournament, held in July 2020, he was back in jūryō. In January 2021 he won his second jūryō championship with a 12–3 record. His stablemate Daieishō won the makuuchi championship in the same tournament. This was the first time that the top two divisions had been won by members of the same stable since Takasago stable's Asashōryū and Tōki in November 2005. This saw him promoted back to the top division for the March 2021 tournament. He returned to jūryō after scoring only 5–10 in September 2021.
At the September 2023 tournament, Tsurugishō put in a good performance, securing his place in the makuuchi division with an eighth victory on day eleven. This tournament, in which he achieved the fastest kachi-koshi score of his career, held particular significance for him, having learned of the death of his grandmother during the competition.[5]
On Day 4 of the March 2024 tournament, Tsurugishō appeared to reinjure his left knee in his match against Hiradoumi and had to be taken away from the dohyō in a wheelchair.[6] He withdrew the following day, with his medical certificate stating that he would miss two months due to injuries to his left ACL, MCL and meniscus.[7]
Fighting style
Tsurugishō is a yotsu-sumo wrestler, who prefers grabbing the mawashi to pushing or thrusting at his opponents. His favoured grip is migi-yotsu, a left arm outside, right hand inside position. His most common winning kimarite or technique is yori-kiri or force out.[8]
Career record
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | (Maezumo) | West Jonokuchi #12 7–0 Champion | West Jonidan #11 7–0 Champion | East Sandanme #21 6–1 | East Makushita #42 7–0 Champion | East Makushita #4 3–4 |
| 2015 | East Makushita #8 5–2 | East Makushita #4 4–3 | West Makushita #3 4–3 | West Makushita #2 3–4 | West Makushita #5 5–2 | East Makushita #1 5–2 |
| 2016 | East Jūryō #12 8–7 | West Jūryō #9 7–8 | West Jūryō #10 8–7 | East Jūryō #10 8–7 | East Jūryō #9 8–7 | West Jūryō #5 7–8 |
| 2017 | West Jūryō #8 8–7 | East Jūryō #8 8–7 | West Jūryō #6 6–9 | West Jūryō #9 8–7 | East Jūryō #8 7–8 | West Jūryō #8 8–7 |
| 2018 | East Jūryō #6 7–8 | West Jūryō #7 4–11 | East Jūryō #14 11–4 | East Jūryō #7 7–8 | East Jūryō #8 7–8 | West Jūryō #8 6–9 |
| 2019 | West Jūryō #11 8–7 | West Jūryō #6 6–9 | East Jūryō #10 9–6 | East Jūryō #6 13–2 Champion | East Maegashira #14 10–5 F | East Maegashira #7 6–9 |
| 2020 | East Maegashira #12 6–9 | East Maegashira #15 1–4–10 | West Jūryō #7 Tournament Cancelled 0–0–0 | West Jūryō #7 7–8 | West Jūryō #8 7–8 | East Jūryō #9 8–7 |
| 2021 | East Jūryō #8 12–3 Champion | West Maegashira #14 9–6 | East Maegashira #8 4–11 | East Maegashira #15 8–7 | West Maegashira #13 5–10 | East Jūryō #1 9–6 |
| 2022 | West Maegashira #16 6–9 | West Jūryō #1 7–8 | West Jūryō #2 10–5 | West Maegashira #14 5–8–2[10] | West Maegashira #15 5–10 | East Jūryō #3 10–5 |
| 2023 | East Maegashira #15 7–8 | West Maegashira #16 8–7 | West Maegashira #15 9–6 | West Maegashira #11 5–10 | West Maegashira #16 8–7 | West Maegashira #13 9–6 |
| 2024 | East Maegashira #11 9–6 | East Maegashira #6 2–3–10 | 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) | ||||||
See also
- List of sumo tournament second division champions
- List of active sumo wrestlers
- Active special prize winners
References
- ^ Morita, Hiro (25 September 2019). "Fall sumo tourney: a September to remember". NHK World. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
- ^ "Title chase now wide open". Japan Times. 20 September 2019. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
- ^ "Sumo: Takakeisho falls, Enho beats Goeido on Day 9 of New Year meet". Kyodo News. 20 January 2020. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
- ^ "Sumo: Hakuho labors to 5th victory, unbeaten in 4-way tie". The Mainichi. 12 March 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
- ^ "３２歳ベテラン・剣翔が給金 自己最速タイ１１日目 亡き祖母に捧げる活躍を「きっと天国で見てくれている」／秋場所". Sankei Sports (in Japanese). 21 September 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
- ^ "今場所から常駐の救急救命士が２日連続でお手柄 剣翔が古傷左膝痛めて土俵上で動けなくなる" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 13 March 2024. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
- ^ "金峰山が休場、頸椎捻挫の診断書を提出 ５日目対戦相手の大の里は不戦勝に" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 13 March 2024. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
- ^ "Wins of Tsurugisho". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
- ^ "Tsurugisho Momotaro Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
- ^ Withdrew on Day 13 due to COVID protocols
External links
- Tsurugishō Momotarō's official biography (English) at the Grand Sumo Homepage
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- ^ Grand Sumo Tournament Banzuke
