A 21-year-old Ukrainian sumo wrestler, Aonishiki, has been promoted to the rank of ozeki. His victory in the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament secured the promotion, and he expressed a strong desire to aim for yokozuna. The ceremony took place in Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture, alongside his stablemaster Ajigawa.
Aonishiki, whose real name is Danylo Yavhusishyn, joined the Ajigawa stable in December 2022, eight months after arriving in Japan from Ukraine. Stablemaster Ajigawa, a former sekiwake named Aminishiki, had a policy against accepting foreign wrestlers but made an exception on the recommendation of Koji Fukuda, a 74-year-old former sumo coach at Hotoku Gakuen High School in Hyogo Prefecture. Ajigawa was impressed by Aonishiki's sincere dedication to the sport.
Over the past three years, Ajigawa meticulously trained the young wrestler, teaching him techniques for handling opponents based on their positions and gripping the mawashi belt effectively. They often shared drinks and discussed sumo as well as personal matters. On November 23, the final day of the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament, Aonishiki defeated Hoshoryu in a playoff to win the title, fulfilling the criteria for promotion to ozeki.
At the promotion ceremony in Kurume, Aonishiki stated, “I’ll strive diligently to live up to the name of ozeki and aim even higher.” In a press conference, he explained, “I wanted to express my strong desire to aim for yokozuna, one rank above ozeki. I discussed with my stablemaster that a simple speech would suit me better. I practiced it many times.” Reflecting on sharing his victory with Ajigawa first, he said, “I was incredibly happy because I wanted to share my victory with my stablemaster the most. There is still a long way to go for me, but I was able to reward him a little.”
Ajigawa praised his protege: “Having come from a foreign land, he has been working so hard to understand the culture of sumo. He will only get stronger.” He added, “Seeing a disciple going above the sumo rank where I was is a joy only a stablemaster can truly appreciate.” Aonishiki has won the Technique Prize in three consecutive tournaments, echoing his master's style. His journey with Ajigawa promises more developments ahead.