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Introducing Sakigake

Nov. 29th - Juryo newcomer, Sakigake, held a press conference Wednesday at the Fukuoka Airport prior to his returning to Tokyo with his Shibatayama stable mates. Earlier in the day, Sakigake received the news that he would be promoted to the Juryo ranks for the January tournament following his 4-3 record from the Makushita 4 rank at the Kyushu basho. "I was right on the border of promotion, so I wasn't able to sleep these last few days," he began acknowledging his less than emphatic performance in Fukuoka. "I am relieved though," he said with a big exhale when asked how it all felt. Hailing from Mongolia, Sakigake will mark the 15th Mongolian sekitori on the banzuke for the Hatsu basho assuming no others are demoted.

Sakigake required 10 and half years to reach the Juryo ranks becoming the third slowest foreign-born rikishi to reach seki-tori status at 63 basho to be exact. Prior to coming to Japan, he wanted to become a doctor, but he was recruited by Hanaregoma-oyakata and finally decided to give sumo a try. "I'm grateful to both of my stable masters," he concluded referring to the aforementioned oyakata who retired in February of this year and his current stablemaster, the former Yokozuna Onokuni.

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