Ama Kohei
Encyclopedia
Harumafuji Kōhei previously known as Ama Kōhei, is a sumo
wrestler. He began his professional career in 2001 and reached the top makuuchi
division in 2004. A relative lightweight noted for his technical skill, he has won ten special prizes
for his achievements in tournaments. In November 2008
he became the seventh foreign born wrestler in sumo history to reach the second highest rank of ōzeki. In May 2009, he won his first championship, winning the Natsu Basho
(May tournament).
, holding a rank roughly equivalent to sumo's sekiwake. He appeared at the Naadam
, a Mongolian games festival that includes wrestling, at the age of 15. He was scouted by Ajigawa-oyakata
in July 2000 and subsequently joined Ajigawa stable (now Isegahama stable). He took the fighting name
Ama and made his first appearance in January 2001. He reached the top makuuchi
division in November 2004, rising slowly to komusubi in May 2006. However, a disappointing 4-11 result in this tournament sent him back to the maegashira ranks.
On the eve of the January 2007 tournament his father was killed in a traffic accident. Nevertheless he turned in a strong 10-5 record there and earned promotion back to komusubi for March. In May 2007 he made his debut at sekiwake rank, becoming the ninth foreign born rikishi to do so. He held his rank with an 8-7 record.
In September 2007 from komusubi rank Ama defeated Yokozuna Hakuhō
on the opening day and also beat two ōzeki. He also memorably defeated newcomer Gōeidō
with a spectacular technique
known as okuritsuriotoshi or "rear lifting body slam." He finished with a 10-5 score and won his first Shunkun-sho or Outstanding Performance award
. He picked up his second Outstanding Performance award in November with another defeat of Hakuhō, and earned promotion back to sekiwake.
In the January 2008 tournament Ama was the only wrestler to defeat Hakuho during Hakuho's successful bid for the tournament championship. This was also his third consecutive defeat of Hakuho, and this victory helped him to win his third Shunkun-sho in a row. However he failed to score more than nine wins, denting his hopes for ozeki promotion, which normally requires three consecutive double-figure scores. After a poor start to the March 2008 tournament, he had to win his last four matches to barely preserve his rank with an 8-7 record. On the 8th day at the May 2008 tournament, he amazed audiences by defeating Wakanoho
with a perfectly executed utchari
or spin throw on the bales. After the match, Wakanoho acted violently and was warned. On the 10th day, he also threw yokozuna Hakuho into the seats with an overarm throw, ending his winning streak. After the tournament Ama was awarded his third Technique prize.
The November 2008 tournament was the most successful yet for Ama, as he won 13 bouts (including his bout against Hakuho) and his thirty five victories over the last three tournaments exceeded the thirty three generally required for ōzeki promotion. He reached a play-off against Hakuho as a result and lost the play-off, still, his promotion was now inevitable. He was awarded his fifth Technique prize and achieved another jun yusho. On November 26, 2008, Ama was promoted to Ozeki by the Sumo Association, and on the occasion had his fighting name or shikona
changed to Harumafuji. The name was chosen by his stablemaster, former yokozuna Asahifuji
.
was inauspicious. He lost his first four matches before rallying later in the tournament to secure an 8-7 majority of wins. He did better in the following tournament in March, defeating Asashoryu and winning ten bouts.
In May he went undefeated in his first twelve matches until he was beaten by Hakuho on Day 13 with a rare leg sweep, susoharai. Harumafuji recovered to defeat Asashoryu the next day with an outer leg trip, sotogake. With Hakuho falling to Kotoōshū on the same day, both men went into Day 15 with identical 13-1 records. Harumafuji defeated Kotoōshū for a career-best 14-1 record while Hakuho was victorious over Asashoryu, setting up a playoff. Harumafuji defeated Hakuho with an under-arm throw, shitatenage, to win his first top division championship. He became the third Mongolian to win the Emperor's Cup, and the eighth foreigner overall. Harumafuji's mother was in the audience to see him awarded the trophy by Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso
. However in the following July basho he recorded only a disappointing 9-6.
He pulled out of the November 2010 tournament on Day 4 having injured his right ankle in a defeat to Tochinoshin. His preparations for the tournament had already been hampered by a shoulder injury sustained during training with Hakuho.
In July 2011 Harumafuji won his second championship, defeating Hakuho on the 14th day to win his fourteenth straight match and establish an unassailable two win lead over his rival. This stopped Hakuho's streak of consecutive yusho at seven. It was also the first time since his first yusho that he had won more than ten bouts in a tournament. Harumafuji commented after his victory, "I really wrestled the sumo of my life. I've had many troubles and injuries since becoming ozeki but I kept training and got support from a lot of people." He lost his final day match to Kisenosato to finish on 14-1.
, or initial charge. He is regarded as a technician, like many other Mongolian sumo wrestlers, specialising in throws and lifts. He has used 36 different winning kimarite
in his career to date. He is adept at both uwatenage (overarm throw) and shitatenage (underarm throw) as well as uwatedashinage (pulling overarm throw). He is also skilled at tsuki or thrusting techniques, and his second most common winning move after yori-kiri is oshi-dashi, or push out.
whom he met in December of the previous year. The wedding ceremony had been postponed due upheavals in the sumo world over the match fixing scandal. Their first child, a girl, was born in December 2010.
Sumo
is a competitive full-contact sport where a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally...
wrestler. He began his professional career in 2001 and reached the top makuuchi
Makuuchi
or is the top division of professional sumo. Its size is fixed at 42 wrestlers , ordered into five ranks according to their ability as defined by their performance in previous tournaments....
division in 2004. A relative lightweight noted for his technical skill, he has won ten special prizes
Sansho (Sumo)
Sanshō are the three special prizes awarded to top division sumo wrestlers for exceptional performance during a sumo honbasho or tournament. The prizes were first awarded in November 1947.-Criteria:...
for his achievements in tournaments. In November 2008
2008 in sumo
-Tournaments:*Hatsu basho, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 13 January - 27 January*Haru basho, Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka, 9 March - 23 March*Natsu basho, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 11 May - 25 May...
he became the seventh foreign born wrestler in sumo history to reach the second highest rank of ōzeki. In May 2009, he won his first championship, winning the Natsu Basho
Honbasho
A is an official professional sumo tournament. There are six held each year, a system established in 1958. Only honbasho results matter in determining promotion and relegation for rikishi ....
(May tournament).
Early career
His father was a Mongolian wrestlerMongolian wrestling
Mongolian wrestling, known as Bökh , is the folk wrestling style of Mongols in Mongolia, Inner Mongolia and other regions...
, holding a rank roughly equivalent to sumo's sekiwake. He appeared at the Naadam
Naadam
Naadam is a traditional type of festival in Mongolia. The festival is also locally termed "eriin gurvan naadam" "the three games of men". The games are Mongolian wrestling, horse racing and archery and are held throughout the country during the midsummer holidays...
, a Mongolian games festival that includes wrestling, at the age of 15. He was scouted by Ajigawa-oyakata
Ajigawa (toshiyori)
Ajigawa is a toshiyori . The name is now owned by Aminishiki, who is still an active rikishi. It is being borrowed by former maegashira Kōbō, who retired in December 2007. He is correctly addressed as Ajigawa-oyakata.- Holders :*Stable owners in bold.-External links:*...
in July 2000 and subsequently joined Ajigawa stable (now Isegahama stable). He took the fighting name
Shikona
A shikona is a sumo wrestler's ring name.As with standard Japanese names, a shikona consists of a 'surname' and a 'given' name, and the full name is written surname first. However, the given name is rarely used outside formal or ceremonial occasions. Thus, the former yokozuna Asashōryū Akinori is...
Ama and made his first appearance in January 2001. He reached the top makuuchi
Makuuchi
or is the top division of professional sumo. Its size is fixed at 42 wrestlers , ordered into five ranks according to their ability as defined by their performance in previous tournaments....
division in November 2004, rising slowly to komusubi in May 2006. However, a disappointing 4-11 result in this tournament sent him back to the maegashira ranks.
On the eve of the January 2007 tournament his father was killed in a traffic accident. Nevertheless he turned in a strong 10-5 record there and earned promotion back to komusubi for March. In May 2007 he made his debut at sekiwake rank, becoming the ninth foreign born rikishi to do so. He held his rank with an 8-7 record.
Hakuho Sho
is a professional sumo wrestler from Ulan Bator, Mongolia. Making his debut in March 2001, he reached the top makuuchi division in May 2004. On May 30, 2007 at the age of 22 he became the second native of Mongolia, and the fourth non-Japanese overall, to be promoted to the highest rank in sumo,...
on the opening day and also beat two ōzeki. He also memorably defeated newcomer Gōeidō
Goeido Gotaro
Gōeidō Gōtarō is a sumo wrestler from Osaka Prefecture, Japan. He made his professional debut in January 2005 and reached the top makuuchi division in September 2007. His highest rank to date has been sekiwake, which he achieved in May 2009...
with a spectacular technique
Kimarite
Kimarite are winning techniques in a sumo bout. For each bout in a Grand Sumo tournament , a sumo referee, or gyoji, will decide and announce the type of kimarite used by the winner...
known as okuritsuriotoshi or "rear lifting body slam." He finished with a 10-5 score and won his first Shunkun-sho or Outstanding Performance award
Sansho (Sumo)
Sanshō are the three special prizes awarded to top division sumo wrestlers for exceptional performance during a sumo honbasho or tournament. The prizes were first awarded in November 1947.-Criteria:...
. He picked up his second Outstanding Performance award in November with another defeat of Hakuhō, and earned promotion back to sekiwake.
In the January 2008 tournament Ama was the only wrestler to defeat Hakuho during Hakuho's successful bid for the tournament championship. This was also his third consecutive defeat of Hakuho, and this victory helped him to win his third Shunkun-sho in a row. However he failed to score more than nine wins, denting his hopes for ozeki promotion, which normally requires three consecutive double-figure scores. After a poor start to the March 2008 tournament, he had to win his last four matches to barely preserve his rank with an 8-7 record. On the 8th day at the May 2008 tournament, he amazed audiences by defeating Wakanoho
Wakanoho Toshinori
Wakanohō Toshinori is a former sumo wrestler. His highest rank was maegashira 1...
with a perfectly executed utchari
Kimarite
Kimarite are winning techniques in a sumo bout. For each bout in a Grand Sumo tournament , a sumo referee, or gyoji, will decide and announce the type of kimarite used by the winner...
or spin throw on the bales. After the match, Wakanoho acted violently and was warned. On the 10th day, he also threw yokozuna Hakuho into the seats with an overarm throw, ending his winning streak. After the tournament Ama was awarded his third Technique prize.
Promotion to ōzeki
In the July 2008 tournament he achieved a double figure score for the first time at sekiwake, and won another Technique prize. In the September 2008 tournament Ama finished with twelve wins, recording his second jun yusho (second place finish, an informal designation), and was awarded his fourth Outstanding Performance award.The November 2008 tournament was the most successful yet for Ama, as he won 13 bouts (including his bout against Hakuho) and his thirty five victories over the last three tournaments exceeded the thirty three generally required for ōzeki promotion. He reached a play-off against Hakuho as a result and lost the play-off, still, his promotion was now inevitable. He was awarded his fifth Technique prize and achieved another jun yusho. On November 26, 2008, Ama was promoted to Ozeki by the Sumo Association, and on the occasion had his fighting name or shikona
Shikona
A shikona is a sumo wrestler's ring name.As with standard Japanese names, a shikona consists of a 'surname' and a 'given' name, and the full name is written surname first. However, the given name is rarely used outside formal or ceremonial occasions. Thus, the former yokozuna Asashōryū Akinori is...
changed to Harumafuji. The name was chosen by his stablemaster, former yokozuna Asahifuji
Asahifuji Seiya
is a former sumo wrestler from Aomori, Japan. He joined professional sumo in 1981, reaching the top makuuchi division just two years later. He reached the second highest rank of ozeki in 1987 and became the 63rd Yokozuna in the history of the sport in 1990 at the age of 30...
.
Ozeki career
Harumafuji's debut tournament as an ozeki in January 20092009 in sumo
-Tournaments:*Hatsu basho, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 11 January - 25 January*Haru basho, Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka, 15 March - 29 March*Natsu basho, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 10 May - 24 May...
was inauspicious. He lost his first four matches before rallying later in the tournament to secure an 8-7 majority of wins. He did better in the following tournament in March, defeating Asashoryu and winning ten bouts.
In May he went undefeated in his first twelve matches until he was beaten by Hakuho on Day 13 with a rare leg sweep, susoharai. Harumafuji recovered to defeat Asashoryu the next day with an outer leg trip, sotogake. With Hakuho falling to Kotoōshū on the same day, both men went into Day 15 with identical 13-1 records. Harumafuji defeated Kotoōshū for a career-best 14-1 record while Hakuho was victorious over Asashoryu, setting up a playoff. Harumafuji defeated Hakuho with an under-arm throw, shitatenage, to win his first top division championship. He became the third Mongolian to win the Emperor's Cup, and the eighth foreigner overall. Harumafuji's mother was in the audience to see him awarded the trophy by Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso
Taro Aso
was the 92nd Prime Minister of Japan serving from September 2008 to September 2009, and was defeated in the August 2009 election.He has served in the House of Representatives since 1979. He was Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2005 to 2007, and was Secretary-General of the LDP briefly in 2007 and...
. However in the following July basho he recorded only a disappointing 9-6.
He pulled out of the November 2010 tournament on Day 4 having injured his right ankle in a defeat to Tochinoshin. His preparations for the tournament had already been hampered by a shoulder injury sustained during training with Hakuho.
In July 2011 Harumafuji won his second championship, defeating Hakuho on the 14th day to win his fourteenth straight match and establish an unassailable two win lead over his rival. This stopped Hakuho's streak of consecutive yusho at seven. It was also the first time since his first yusho that he had won more than ten bouts in a tournament. Harumafuji commented after his victory, "I really wrestled the sumo of my life. I've had many troubles and injuries since becoming ozeki but I kept training and got support from a lot of people." He lost his final day match to Kisenosato to finish on 14-1.
Fighting style
Harumafuji is a relative lightweight (currently the lightest wrestler in the makuuchi division at 126 kg or 280 lb) and is known for his speed, particularly at the tachi-aiTachi-ai
The tachi-ai is the initial charge between two sumo wrestlers at the beginning of a bout.There are several common techniques that wrestlers use at the tachi-ai, with the aim of getting a decisive advantage in the bout:...
, or initial charge. He is regarded as a technician, like many other Mongolian sumo wrestlers, specialising in throws and lifts. He has used 36 different winning kimarite
Kimarite
Kimarite are winning techniques in a sumo bout. For each bout in a Grand Sumo tournament , a sumo referee, or gyoji, will decide and announce the type of kimarite used by the winner...
in his career to date. He is adept at both uwatenage (overarm throw) and shitatenage (underarm throw) as well as uwatedashinage (pulling overarm throw). He is also skilled at tsuki or thrusting techniques, and his second most common winning move after yori-kiri is oshi-dashi, or push out.
Personal life
In October 2011 he married fellow Mongolian, M. Battuul, a student at Iwate UniversityIwate University
is a national university in Morioka, Iwate, Japan. This university has been called "Gandai" in Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1876, and was chartered as a university in 1949.-External links:*...
whom he met in December of the previous year. The wedding ceremony had been postponed due upheavals in the sumo world over the match fixing scandal. Their first child, a girl, was born in December 2010.
Tournament record
See also
- Glossary of sumo termsGlossary of sumo termsThe following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. azukari : Hold. A kind of draw. After a mono-ii, the gyōji or the shimpan "holds" the result if it was too close to call...
- List of sumo tournament winners
- List of sumo tournament second division winners
- List of active sumo wrestlers
External links
- Japanese Sumo Association Biography (English)(Japanese)
- complete biography and basho results (Japanese)