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Photo by John Gunning |
they were being cut in two by the much softer junior level version, whilst some lightweights had to hold up ridiculously slack, but admittedly real mawashi – something the sole representative of Cameroon to arrive in Japan, donned for the first time only on the day of the event, the stadium grapevine reported.
Announced throughout in both Japanese and English (Katrina Watts (interviewed here) – NHK’s most respected female commentator of professional sumo and renowned expert on the amateur game sitting behind the English microphone for much of the morning and early afternoon), even for non-English speakers from overseas, events were easy enough to follow. Of course, technically shy of the skills found in the Kokugikan come honbasho, many of the day’s matches nonetheless saw great bouts, a range of kimarite and hard fought contests applauded by those around – sometimes even those on – the dohyo, and even attracted one makunouchi long-timer in the shape of Kyokushuzan who came incognito – hat and veil Next Home |
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who would go on to the finals in the afternoon, the mood was far more relaxed than later when the competition intensified, supporters grew more vocal and fights took on extra meaning.
In the meantime, as much entertainment and enjoyment was to be found in the ‘covered (but) open-air’ dome that hosted the event. Petr Matous, captain of the Tokyo University sumo club attracted a lot of media attention as has been his lot recently, but lost his first bout to Bulgarian Georgiev Stiliyan in a men’s lightweight division plagued by weak, touchy-feely, almost nervous tachiai, and an overuse of slap down attempts |
by many of the eastern Europeans clearly trained in other forms of one-on-one wrestling.
Old friends, adversaries and their support staff sat, talked and laughed aloud, in the process defeating most linguistic barriers and cementing personal ties that will last long after who won what at Sakai is forgotten – except perhaps by the winners! From start to finish, providing the fans and competitors alike with a few giggles, were the mawashi worn by some of the participants as a number of men well over 150kg looked like |
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