They’re getting by means of 70 kilograms of rice a day and the wholesaler has run out of noodles. Sure, Sumo returns to London on Wednesday.
It is simply the second time a Grand Event has been held outdoors of Japan – and it is a sport that has data going again over 1,500 years.
It is 34 years for the reason that Royal Albert Corridor hosted the one earlier such occasion on international soil. And the urge for food for tickets meant all 5 days bought out instantly.
A lot of the main target is on the 2 grand champions or yokozuna, the 74th and seventy fifth males to realize the rank.
They’re the Mongolian Hoshoryu Tomokatsu, plus Japan’s Onosato Daiki – who this 12 months turned the quickest wrestler to attain the rank within the fashionable period.
“I’m happy that Sumo is back after so many years,” Onosato mentioned. “I hope I can show the UK fans how fantastic Sumo is.”
“Being a yokozuna has a lot of responsibility,” Hoshoryu informed Sky Sports activities. “We’ve got to point out everybody an instance of what a yokozuna is – and that is very tough.
“My uncle was a yokozuna – and I’m happy to follow in his footsteps. But I came here to London as a yokozuna which he didn’t, so I’m even happier!”
The 2 are already nice rivals.
On the current Aki Basho – essentially the most prestigious event on the sumo calendar – the pair completed with similar data after 15 days of bouts.
All of it got here right down to a last play-off between the 2 yokozuna – the primary time that had occurred in 16 years. It was Onosato who got here out on prime on that event.
Hoshoryu lifts the trophy after successful the Tokyo Grand Sumo Event earlier this 12 months
Hoshoryu says he’s an enormous fan of basketball and soccer. He follows Chelsea, though his favorite gamers are going again a bit: “Didier Drogba and Petr Cech. He’s the ‘keeper. I like this guy!”
Early begins and a hearty stew: The lifetime of a rikishi
The wrestlers – or rikishi – have a rigorous coaching regime. They stay in communal blocks referred to as stables and apply begins early. Maybe surprisingly, everybody skips breakfast. After coaching and apply – and for the youthful rikishi, chores – the wrestlers all eat collectively.
The staple of their eating regimen is chankonabe, a hearty stew filled with meat and greens. And the feeding of the 40 rikishi who’ve come over for the five-day event is a problem in itself.
Donagh Collins, the CEO of co-organisers Askonas Holt, mentioned: “We are going through 70 kilos of rice a day. Somebody told me that the wholesaler for the noodles has run out of noodles! We’re really pushing the system here!”
The ring – or dohyo – is simply 4.55 metres in diameter and fairly small when two large wrestlers leap at one another.
The purpose of the fights is to both get your opponent onto the ground – or, extra spectacularly, shove or hurl them out of the dohyo, so spectators within the ringside seats could also be getting extraordinarily up-close to the wrestlers.
Hoshoryu says he’s a fan of Premier League soccer membership Chelsea
The final time the event was in Britain, the large Konishki, often called the Dump Truck, took centre stage.
The large Hawaiian was the heaviest-ever rikishi coming in at 287kgs – or 45 stone. That is a whole lot of wrestler to dodge if he comes falling out of the ring in direction of you!
The Royal Albert Corridor could also be firstly a live performance venue, nevertheless it has hosted the likes of John McEnroe, Lennox Lewis and even Muhammad Ali.
And for the subsequent 5 days, the cream of the world of sumo can be thrilling the crowds – offered a brand new noodle provider is discovered.
