Ukrainian sumo wrestler Aonishiki yesterday won his second straight tournament to take his meteoric rise in the ancient Japanese sport to new heights.
The 21-year-old, who fled the war in Ukraine three years ago, triumphed at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament in Tokyo for the second title of his fledgling career.
Aonishiki, the ring name of Danylo Yavhusishyn, became the first wrestler from Ukraine to win a competition when he came out on top at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament in November last year.
Photo: Kyodo via Reuters
That earned him promotion to sumo’s second-highest rank of ozeki in record time, having made his debut in July 2023.
His second title takes him a step closer to promotion to the exalted highest rank of yokozuna, a feat no European-born wrestler has ever achieved.
Aonishiki is only the fourth European to become an ozeki, following wrestlers from Estonia, Bulgaria and Georgia.
During the latest 15-day tournament to yesterday, he achieved a 12-3 win-loss record and tied with rival wrestler Atamifuji.
Then the two battled in a nail-biting playoff, which began with the Ukrainian on his back foot.
His heavier rival unleashed a powerful attack and quickly pressed Aonishiki to the edge of the ring, but Aonishiki unleashed a left-arm kubinage neck throw, forcing the Japanese wrestler on the sand ring.
“I was able to win, thanks to you,” Aonishiki said in a winner’s address to the roaring, sold-out crowd at the Ryogoku Kokugikan sumo arena.
He set his sights on climbing the sumo hierarchy, pledging to do ever better in the next tournament.
“I will do my best so that I will have better records than this tournament,” he said in fluent Japanese.
Aonishiki would have the chance to make it a hat-trick of titles when he competes in the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament in Osaka in March.
Another win would likely put him in contention for promotion to the rank of grand champion, something only wrestlers from Japan, the US and Mongolia have achieved.
Aonishiki was born in central Ukraine and took up sumo at the age of seven, becoming a national champion at 17.
His age meant he narrowly avoided Ukraine’s military draft for men aged 18 and older after Russia invaded, and he sought refuge in Germany, before moving to Japan.
His parents stayed in Germany and he arrived in Japan knowing nothing of the language.
He became the second Ukraine-born professional sumo wrestler when he made his debut, following in the footsteps of Serhii Sokolovskyi, better known as Shishi.
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