Hiradoumi Yūki
平戸海 雄貴
Hiradoumi in April 2023
Personal information
Born (2000-04-20) 20 April 2000
Hirado, Nagasaki, Japan
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight136 kg (300 lb)
Career
StableSakaigawa
Current rankSee below
DebutMarch 2016
Highest rankMaegashira 5 (July 2023)
* Up to date as of 24 September 2023.

Hiradoumi Yūki (Japanese: 平戸海 雄貴, born 20 April 2000 as Yūki Sakaguchi (坂口 雄貴, Sakaguchi Yūki)) is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Hirado. He wrestles for the Sakaigawa stable. His highest rank is maegashira 5.

Career

Early career

Sakaguchi Yūki comes from the city of Hirado, in the Nagasaki Prefecture. He started sumo wrestling at Himosashi Elementary School, under the guidance of former sandanme-wrestler Sakao Hiroki who's also from Hirado, but didn't take the sport seriously until sixth grade, mimicking the serious training of his elders in the club.[1] As a kid he participated in the Wanpaku National Sumo Championships for three consecutive years. In high school, he participated to the National Junior High School Sumo Championship. During this tournament, he stayed at the Sakaigawa stable to be lodged and trained there.[1] In 2016, after graduating from junior high school, he decided to join professional sumo and entered Sakaigawa stable because its head coach (former komusubi Ryōgoku) is also from Nagasaki. During his shin-deshi presentation, he shared the ring with Asanoyama and Yutakayama. In 2017, he changed his shikona to Hiradoumi to pay homage to his hometown. During his years at the stable he struck up a friendship with Tsushimanada, with whom he maintains a friendly rivalry, competing with him at the time to see who would be promoted to sekitori ahead of the other.[1] During his years in the lower divisions, he served as tsukebito (assistant) to the ōzeki Gōeidō.[2]

In 2021, it was announced that he will be promoted to sumo's second highest division (jūryō) for the November tournament.[3] He is the first wrestler within his stable to reach sekitoriship since Shironoryū , who reached the jūryō division in 2010.[4] Following a strong performance in the July 2022 tournament, he was promoted to the makuuchi division.[5] It was the first time in eleven years that a wrestler from Nagasaki prefecture was promoted to the top division. The last wrestler was Sadanofuji, Hiradoumi's coach at Sakaigawa stable, who made his makuuchi debut at the Kyūshū tournament in 2011.[6]

Makuuchi career

Hiradoumi entered the top division during the September 2022 tournament, at the rank of maegashira 16. However, he suffered a narrow loss in his first tournament, achieving a 7-8 make-kochi record. In the following tournament of November, he managed to maintain his makuuchi rank due to the balance of promotion and demotion of other wrestlers. Even with a losing record, his performance received praises, notably from former yokozuna Kitanofuji, who praised his energy and his "unrivaled training enthusiasm".[7] In the last tournament of 2022, he managed his first kachi-koshi in the top division by the twelfth day. He was listed as a potential Fighting spirit prize recipient but was shelved because he did not reach the majority of the attending committee members votes.[8] In the first banzuke of 2023 Hiradoumi was ranked maegashira 10.[9] He secured kachi-koshi at the January tournament on day 14 with a win over Kotoekō.[9] Reaching his highest rank, Hiradoumi notably won his match against former ōzeki Takayasu on Day 8,[10] but suffered a close losing record. After a good tournament in March 2023, Hiradoumi was promoted to Maegashira 5 for the July tournament of the same year. However, he suffered a negative record (make-koshi) and had to declare himself kyūjō for the final day of the tournament, having been seen limping after his fight against Abi.[11]

During the November 2023 tournament, Hiradoumi stood out by recording a victory on Day 10 over Ichiyamamoto, the tournament's sole leader, jeopardizing his lead in the title race. The victory was also Hiradoumi's seventh in a row, having started the tournament with three defeats.[2]

Fighting style

At the time of his promotion to makuuchi for 2022, Hiradoumi was described as a wrestler who never backs down[12] and frequently uses pushing techniques. One of the wrestlers who inspires him most in his sumo style is Yokozuna Chiyonofuji, whose matches he watches to perfect his own style.[13]

Personal life

Hiradoumi has four brothers and sisters. He regularly cites his two youngest siblings as his driving force.[1]

Career record

Hiradoumi Yūki[14]
Year in sumo January
Hatsu basho, Tokyo		 March
Haru basho, Osaka		 May
Natsu basho, Tokyo		 July
Nagoya basho, Nagoya		 September
Aki basho, Tokyo		 November
Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka
2016 x (Maezumo) West Jonokuchi #19
5–2
 		 West Jonidan #62
0–0–7
 		 East Jonokuchi #22
6–1
 		 West Jonidan #41
4–3
 
2017 East Jonidan #18
2–5
 		 East Jonidan #46
5–2
 		 East Jonidan #9
4–3
 		 East Sandanme #91
3–4
 		 West Jonidan #19
3–4
 		 East Jonidan #40
6–1
 
2018 West Sandanme #74
4–3
 		 East Sandanme #55
4–3
 		 West Sandanme #40
3–4
 		 West Sandanme #55
5–2
 		 West Sandanme #29
4–3
 		 West Sandanme #16
4–3
 
2019 West Sandanme #5
4–3
 		 West Makushita #55
3–4
 		 East Sandanme #1
5–2
 		 East Makushita #41
2–5
 		 West Sandanme #3
5–2
 		 East Makushita #45
5–2
 
2020 West Makushita #30
2–5
 		 West Makushita #50
5–2
 		 East Makushita #34
Tournament Cancelled
0–0–0		 East Makushita #34
4–3
 		 West Makushita #24
5–2
 		 West Makushita #13
3–4
 
2021 East Makushita #19
5–2
 		 West Makushita #12
5–2
 		 West Makushita #6
4–3
 		 West Makushita #4
4–3
 		 East Makushita #2
5–2
 		 West Jūryō #13
7–7–1
 
2022 East Jūryō #14
8–7
 		 East Jūryō #11
7–8
 		 East Jūryō #11
8–7
 		 East Jūryō #8
10–5
 		 West Maegashira #16
7–8
 		 West Maegashira #16
10–5
 
2023 West Maegashira #10
8–7
 		 West Maegashira #9
7–8
 		 West Maegashira #9
9–6
 		 East Maegashira #5
5–10
 		 West Maegashira #8
6–9
 		 West Maegashira #11
9–6
 
2024 West Maegashira #8
–
 		 x x x x x
Record given as win-loss-absent    Top Division Champion Top Division Runner-up Retired Lower Divisions

Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique     Also shown: ★=Kinboshi; P=Playoff(s)
Divisions: Makuuchi — Jūryō — Makushita — Sandanme — Jonidan — Jonokuchi

Makuuchi ranks: Yokozuna — Ōzeki — Sekiwake — Komusubi — Maegashira

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "郷土の名を背負って 平戸海にインタビュー". NHK (in Japanese). 12 March 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  2. 1 2 "平戸海、単独トップ一山本を引きずり降ろす７連勝「千代の富士さんの相撲が理想」動画で研究重ね" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 21 November 2023. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  3. ↑ "平戸海、亡き兄弟子に届ける新十両昇進「喜んでくれていると思います」". Sports Hochi (in Japanese). 29 September 2021. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  4. ↑ "寺沢改め朝乃若と平戸海が新十両昇進　荒篤山は２場所ぶり再十両". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 29 September 2021. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  5. ↑ "Sumo: July champ Ichinojo rejoins elite in new rankings". Kyodo News. 29 August 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  6. ↑ "大相撲秋場所 新入幕 平戸海「2桁勝利目指す」長崎 平戸出身". NHK Sports (in Japanese). 29 August 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
  7. ↑ "【北の富士コラム】新入幕の平戸海が実に素晴らしい　無類の稽古好きで鍛え上げた体は栃木山関のよう". Chunichi Sports (in Japanese). 13 September 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
  8. ↑ "九州場所の殊勲賞に高安、敢闘賞は優勝の阿炎　技能賞は11勝目を挙げた豊昇龍". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 27 November 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
  9. 1 2 "日本相撲協会公式サイト". 日本相撲協会公式サイト. Retrieved 2023-02-22.
  10. ↑ "平戸海「すごいうれしくて楽しみ」初顔高安破り「自信になった」４勝４敗の五分に戻す". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 19 March 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  11. ↑ "平戸海が休場　14日目の取組後、左足を引きずる様子　自己最高位の東前頭5枚目で5勝10敗に". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). 23 July 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  12. ↑ "平戸海　同じ長崎出身の師匠・境川親方の還暦祝いに新入幕「2ケタ目指す」11月のご当所場所への弾みに". Sports Nippon. 29 August 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  13. ↑ "23歳平戸海、昭和の大横綱千代の富士研究し真っ向勝負！夏場所での２ケタ勝利を誓う". Nikkan Sports. 7 May 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  14. ↑ "Hiradoumi Yuki Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 2022-08-29.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.