Kakuryu promoted to ozeki!

[Swami]

Mongolian wrestler Kakuryu promoted to ozeki
Wednesday, 28 March 2012 The Japan Sumo Association on Wednesday formally decided to promote Mongolian wrestler Kakuryu to sumo's second highest rank of ozeki.Kakuryu, who flirted with championship victory at last week's Spring Grand Sumo Tournament before losing to yokozuna Hakuho in a playoff, becomes the first wrestler to attain the rank since Kisenosato at the Kyushu basho last November.

The 26-year-old, whose real name is Mangaljalav Anand, will make his debut as ozeki at the summer meet getting under way on May 6 at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan, where there will be six ozeki for the first time ever.

Kakuryu finished the spring basho with a 13-2 record. In doing so he totaled 33 wins over the last three tournaments, giving him the total necessary under sumo's rough guidelines to move up from sekiwake to ozeki.

He is the fourth Mongolian and ninth non-Japanese wrestler overall to reach ozeki.

Swami

[Swami]

A bit surprised at this; I didn't think they would have promoted him unless they could have got one of the ozeki promoted to yokozuna.

Swami

[Mrs. JR Ewing]

Well good for him!

[Swami]

Kakuryu formally promoted to ozeki
Kyodo
The Japan Sumo Association on Wednesday formally decided to promote Mongolian wrestler Kakuryu to sumo's second highest rank of ozeki.

Kakuryu, who nearly won the title at last week's Spring Grand Sumo Tournament before losing to yokozuna Hakuho in a playoff, becomes the first wrestler to attain the rank since Kisenosato at the Kyushu Basho last November.

"I have given it my best shot right through to this point and will keep devoting myself to practice and wrestle in a way that will make fans say 'I'm glad I came (to watch sumo) today,' " said Kakuryu.

The 26-year-old, whose real name is Mangaljalav Anand, will make his debut as ozeki at the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament getting under way on May 6 at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan, where there will be six ozeki for the first time ever.

Kakuryu finished the Spring Basho with a 13-2 record.

Swami

[Swami]

Sumo does need another yokozuna soon, because six ozeki is a real barrier to anyone else trying to get promotion.

Swami

[Mrs. JR Ewing]

That's true and they need to keep more positive situations in front of the fans instead of negative ones if they want this sport to survive.

[Swami]

Hopefully they're over the worst of all that.

Swami