Konishiki Yasokichi

(Redirected from Konishiki)

Categories: Athletes of Hawaii | 1963 births | Sumo wrestlers | Samoan sportspeople

Pono made his name in Japan by becoming the first foreign born champion, or Ozeki in the Japanese sport of sumo.

Due to his potential he was given the name Pono, after the 17th Yokozuna (see List of Yokozuna) who came from the same training stable at the end of the 19th Century (during the Meiji period in Japan).

During his career he won the top division championship on three occasions and came close to becoming the first foreign born grand champion, or yokozuna, prompting first a debate as to whether a foreigner could have the necessary cultural understanding to be acceptable in sumo's ultimate rank. Subsequently after winning two championships in three tournaments he prompted controversy as to whether his non-promotion to yokozuna was based on racism by the Japan Sumo Association who run the sport.

At a typical fighting weight of around 270 kg he was the heaviest rikishi ever in sumo and used his weight to power his opponents out of the ring. However, particularly in latter years, his weight led him to be susceptible to belt throws by lighter and more agile opponents.

He retained his Ozeki rank for more than six years, and carried on fighting in the top division for a further four years. Towards the end of his career he became progressively more popular with many Japanese fans, due his fighting spirit, distinctive bulk and personality.

After his retirement he remained in the Sumo Association as an elder for a short time, before branching out as a Japanese entertainer under the name "KONISHIKI"(The capitalization is an effort to reflect the association's requiring him to write the name in the Roman alphabet, forbidding its being spelled out in Japanese characters, after he left sumo).de:Konishiki Yasokichi ja:KONISHIKI