Tamawashi, 41, Gets First Win by Tsukidashi and Passes Kisenosato With 715 Makuuchi Wins
East Maegashira 15 Tamawashi, 41 (Katonami), beat East Maegashira 14 Tokihayate, 30 (Tokitsukaze), by tsukidashi on Kyushu Day 2 for his first win of the basho. It was his 715th makuuchi win, passing former yokozuna Kisenosato (now Nishonoseki oyakata) for seventh place all-time, and his first makuuchi win in 173 days, since Day 11 of the Natsu basho (Sponichi). He had lost on Day 1 to newcomer Dewanoryu.
Tamawashi, who re-entered the top division at 41 years 11 months, the oldest since the start of the Showa era, hit low and sharp against an opponent he was 1-4 against, raised him with a strong nodowa and pushed him out in one go. 'I won with my own sumo against a difficult opponent,' he said (Jiji Press). 'I'm happy. The cheers are different in makuuchi.' He said he knew nothing of the record: 'I'm happy, though the content is totally different,' deferring to Kisenosato, a yokozuna (Nikkan Sports, Sponichi). He said he kept his hips lower after Day 1's reversal.
Local residents from Asakura, Fukuoka, where Katonami stable has been based since 2010, came again to cheer; Tamawashi has been the city's goodwill ambassador since 2019. 'The happiest part was that,' he said. After five straight losing basho from last autumn, he fell to juryo in Nagoya, and the two juryo basho 'switched on a sloppy me,' Jiji says. His stablemaster Katonami (ex-sekiwake Tamakasuga) has urged him to be strict with himself. His 42nd birthday is on Day 9 (Nov 16): 'It's no time to say I'm happy; there are many bouts left.'
Sources: Yahoo! Japan Sports (Jiji Press) · Yahoo! Japan Sports (Sponichi) · Yahoo! Japan Sports (Nikkan Sports)