Kushimaumi Keita
| Kushimaumi Keita | |
|---|---|
| 久島海 啓太 | |
 | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | Keita Kushima 6 August 1965 Wakayama, Japan |
| Died | 13 February 2012 (aged 46) Tokyo |
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 1+1⁄2 in) |
| Weight | 203 kg (448 lb) |
| Career | |
| Stable | Dewanoumi |
| Record | 462-442-15 |
| Debut | January 1988 |
| Highest rank | Maegashira 1 (March 1991) |
| Retired | November 1998 |
| Championships | 3 (Jūryō) |
| Special Prizes | Fighting Spirit (2) |
| Gold Stars | 2 (Hokutoumi, Asahifuji) |
| * Up to date as of July 2008. | |
Kushimaumi Keita (久島海 啓太; 6 August 1965 – 13 February 2012),[1] born as Keita Kushima (久嶋 啓太), was a sumo wrestler from Shingū, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. A successful amateur, his highest rank in professional sumo was maegashira 1. After his retirement he became an elder of the Japan Sumo Association and established Tagonoura stable.
Career
He began doing sumo from the age of four, due to his father's love of the sport. He was the first person to earn the amateur yokozuna title whilst still in high school (at which time he already weighed 160 kg), and he continued amateur sumo at Nihon University. In total he captured 28 collegiate sumo titles, a record at the time.[2] He joined the prestigious Dewanoumi stable and made his professional debut in January 1988, beginning in the third highest makushita division. He fought under his own name until he reached the second highest jūryō division, whereupon his shikona was modified slightly from Kushima to Kushimaumi. Although it took him seven tournaments to progress from makushita to jūryō, he won two consecutive yūshō or tournament championships from his jūryō debut to reach the top makuuchi division in July 1989, the first wrestler to do so since 15-day tournaments were established in 1949. He won his first Fighting Spirit prize in March 1990, and earned two kinboshi for defeating yokozuna Asahifuji in September 1991 and Hokutoumi in March 1992 (this was Hokutoumi's final match before retirement). In March 1993 he was famously knocked out by a harite (slap to the face) from Kyokudōzan and had to withdraw from the tournament with his score at seven wins and six losses. His best result in a top division tournament was his runner-up performance in September 1993, where he finished behind Akebono on twelve wins. This however, was achieved from the low position of maegashira 13, and despite his great potential he never managed to reach the san'yaku ranks. In his later career he suffered increasingly from shoulder and hip injuries, and was demoted to the jūryō division on several occasions. He announced his retirement in November 1998 at the age of 33, after falling into the makushita division.
Fighting style
Kushimaumi was one of the heaviest wrestlers ever, weighing over 200 kilograms (440 lb) at his peak, and his great physical strength was demonstrated by his frequent use of the kimedashi (arm barring force out) technique.[2] He also regularly employed yorikiri (the force out) and kotenage (the arm lock throw).[3]
Retirement from sumo
Kushimaumi remained with Dewanoumi stable as an elder of the Japan Sumo Association, under the name Tagonoura. In February 2000 he branched out and opened up his own Tagonoura stable. In 2011 he produced his first sekitori ranked wrestler, the Bulgarian Aoiyama. Another former rikishi was the Tongan born Aotsurugi (who took Japanese citizenship to allow Aoiyama to join the stable).
In 2003 he suffered an acute myocardial infarction, but it proved not to be life-threatening and he made an immediate recovery. He then went on a diet and lost around 60 kilos.
He died suddenly on 13 February 2012 at the age of 46,[4] of ischaemic heart disease. Aoiyama, Kitanoumi Oyakata, and Dewanoumi Oyakata were among the guests at his funeral. Tagonoura stable was dissolved with his wrestlers split between the Dewanoumi and Kasugano stables.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Makushita tsukedashi #60 5–2 |
East Makushita #38 5–2 |
East Makushita #24 6–1 |
East Makushita #9 5–2 |
East Makushita #4 4–3 |
West Makushita #2 4–3 |
| 1989 | East Makushita #1 4–3 |
West Jūryō #12 11–4–P Champion |
East Jūryō #3 10–5–PPP Champion |
West Maegashira #13 8–7 |
West Maegashira #11 9–6 |
East Maegashira #5 6–9 |
| 1990 | East Maegashira #9 6–9 |
East Maegashira #14 10–5 F |
East Maegashira #4 6–9 |
West Maegashira #8 5–8–2 |
East Jūryō #1 10–5 |
East Maegashira #12 9–6 |
| 1991 | East Maegashira #6 8–7 |
East Maegashira #1 5–10 |
East Maegashira #6 6–9 |
East Maegashira #10 10–5 |
East Maegashira #3 8–7 ★ |
East Maegashira #3 6–9 |
| 1992 | West Maegashira #6 8–7 |
West Maegashira #3 7–8 ★ |
West Maegashira #4 8–7 |
East Maegashira #3 6–9 |
West Maegashira #6 8–7 |
West Maegashira #2 8–7 |
| 1993 | West Maegashira #1 7–8 |
West Maegashira #2 7–7–1 |
East Maegashira #4 6–9 |
West Maegashira #7 5–10 |
East Maegashira #13 12–3 F |
West Maegashira #1 5–10 |
| 1994 | West Maegashira #7 1–2–12 |
East Jūryō #4 9–6 |
East Jūryō #2 8–7 |
West Maegashira #15 8–7 |
East Maegashira #15 8–7 |
East Maegashira #9 8–7 |
| 1995 | West Maegashira #4 3–12 |
East Maegashira #12 4–11 |
East Jūryō #5 7–8 |
West Jūryō #6 9–6 |
West Jūryō #2 9–6 |
East Jūryō #1 8–7 |
| 1996 | East Jūryō #1 7–8 |
East Jūryō #2 10–5 |
East Jūryō #1 8–7 |
West Maegashira #15 6–9 |
West Jūryō #2 6–9 |
East Jūryō #7 6–9 |
| 1997 | West Jūryō #9 11–4 |
East Jūryō #4 8–7 |
West Jūryō #2 9–6 |
West Jūryō #1 9–6 |
West Maegashira #13 7–8 |
West Maegashira #15 3–12 |
| 1998 | West Jūryō #6 7–8 |
East Jūryō #9 12–3–P Champion |
West Jūryō #2 7–8 |
East Jūryō #4 7–8 |
West Jūryō #5 4–11 |
East Makushita #1 Retired 0–0–7 |
| 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) |
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See also
- List of sumo tournament second division champions
- Glossary of sumo terms
- List of past sumo wrestlers
References
- ^ "田子ノ浦親方が吐血、死去…まだ46歳". Nikkan Sports. 13 February 2012. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
- ^ a b Sharnoff, Lora (1993). Grand Sumo. Weatherhill. ISBN 0-8348-0283-X.
- ^ Mattila, Mikko (December 2005). "Kimarie Foucs #4: Kotenage, Tottari & Sakatottari". Sumo Fan Magazine. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
- ^ "Sumo stablemaster Tagonoura dies at 46". Mainichi Daily News. 14 February 2012. Archived from the original on 14 February 2012.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Kushimaumi Keita Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
External links
- Kushimaumi Keita's official biography (English) at the Grand Sumo Homepage
- Complete career record