Aotsurugi Kenta
Encyclopedia
Aotsurugi Kenta is a former professional sumo
wrestler from Tongatapu
, Tonga
. He made his debut in 2001 but had many injury problems. In 2006, he obtained Japanese citizenship, adopting the official name of Tebita Togawa. He retired in May 2009.
. His first shikona
or fighting name was Hisanoumi. He reached as high as sandanme 24 in the fourth highest division in November 2004, but injury meant he was not able to participate in any tournaments from November 2005 until September 2006. As a result, he fell off the banzuke (ranking list) completely in July 2006.
He finally returned to the ring in November 2006 and fought three maezumo (pre-sumo) bouts - effectively beginning his career all over again from the very bottom. He won all three bouts and reappeared on the banzuke in January 2007, ranked at jonokuchi 29. He then took the jonokuchi championship with a 6-1 record. By May 2007 he had progressed to jonidan 20 where he turned in another fine 6-1 score. This earned him promotion back to sandanme for July. In his first tournament in sandanme since September 2005 he could manage only a 2-5 score. In the September 2007 tournament, despite missing his first bout, he went on to record five wins and just one loss.
At the end of 2007 he changed his shikona from Hisanoumi Taiyō to Aotsurugi Kenta. His score of 4-3 at Sandanme 25 in the September 2008 tournament pushed him up to a new highest rank of Sandanme 12 for November 2008 and he reached the top of the division in the January 2009 tournament. He scored three wins against four losses at Sandanme 1 in that tournament. He missed the May 2009 tournament, and announced his retirement from sumo.
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 from Tongatapu
Tongatapu
Tongatapu is the main island of the Kingdom of Tonga and the location of its capital Nukualofa. It is located in Tonga's southern island group, to which it gives its name, and is the country's most populous island, with approximately 71,260 residents , 70.5% of the national population...
, Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
. He made his debut in 2001 but had many injury problems. In 2006, he obtained Japanese citizenship, adopting the official name of Tebita Togawa. He retired in May 2009.
Career
As an amateur he competed in the lightweight category at the Junior World Sumo Championships in 2000, just missing out on a bronze medal. He made his professional debut in March 2001, joining the small Tagonoura stableTagonoura stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Dewanoumi ichimon or group of stables. It was established in February 2000 by former maegashira Kushimaumi, who branched off from Dewanoumi stable. It is located in the Koto ward of Tokyo...
. His first 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...
or fighting name was Hisanoumi. He reached as high as sandanme 24 in the fourth highest division in November 2004, but injury meant he was not able to participate in any tournaments from November 2005 until September 2006. As a result, he fell off the banzuke (ranking list) completely in July 2006.
He finally returned to the ring in November 2006 and fought three maezumo (pre-sumo) bouts - effectively beginning his career all over again from the very bottom. He won all three bouts and reappeared on the banzuke in January 2007, ranked at jonokuchi 29. He then took the jonokuchi championship with a 6-1 record. By May 2007 he had progressed to jonidan 20 where he turned in another fine 6-1 score. This earned him promotion back to sandanme for July. In his first tournament in sandanme since September 2005 he could manage only a 2-5 score. In the September 2007 tournament, despite missing his first bout, he went on to record five wins and just one loss.
At the end of 2007 he changed his shikona from Hisanoumi Taiyō to Aotsurugi Kenta. His score of 4-3 at Sandanme 25 in the September 2008 tournament pushed him up to a new highest rank of Sandanme 12 for November 2008 and he reached the top of the division in the January 2009 tournament. He scored three wins against four losses at Sandanme 1 in that tournament. He missed the May 2009 tournament, and announced his retirement from sumo.