Baruto Kaito
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Personal information | ||
---|---|---|
Real name | Kaido Höövelson | |
Date of birth | November 5, 1984 | |
Place of birth | Estonia | |
Height | 197cm (6'6") | |
Weight | 172.0kg (379lb) | |
Career* | ||
Heya | Onoe | |
Rank | Maegashira 6 West | |
Record | 98-30-18 | |
Debut | May, 2004 | |
Highest rank | E-M1 (September, 2006) | |
Yushos | 1 (Juryo) 1 (Makushita) 1 (Jonidan) 1 (Jonokuchi) |
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* Career information is correct as of September 2006. |
Baruto Kaito (把瑠都 凱斗?) (Baruto -- which means Baltic in Japanese), born Kaido Höövelson on November 5, 1984, is the first Estonian rikishi (professional sumo wrestler) ever to join the sport in Japan. He is 197.5 cm tall, currently weighs 172.0 kilos and is ranked in the top Makuuchi division.
Baruto entered sumo in 2004 and has shot up the ranks at record speed reaching the Juryo division only in 7 tournaments (the 3rd fastest rise to sekitori since 1958 when the current 6 tournament a year format was adopted). Baruto won the Juryo division March 2006 honbasho tournament with a perfect 15-0 result. This is only the fourth time ever that a Juryo wrestler has won the Juryo championship with such a record. He was the first to achieve this since Kitanofuji, who ultimately achieved the top Yokozuna rank, in 1963. As a result of this performance he was promoted to the highest makuuchi division for the first time for the May 2006 tournament.
It is likely that Baruto could have achieved a more rapid rise to the top division, were it not for him suffering from appendicitis in November 2005. However, despite this, his rise through the divisions in two years is equal to the second fastest ever.
In his first tournament in makuuchi Baruto scored a strong 11-4 record and won the Kanto-sho (or Fighting Spirit Prize). After a second winning record in July and another promotion, Baruto's quick ascent through the ranks halted at Maegashira-1. He withdrew from the September tournament with an injury, which lowered his standing to Maegashira-6 in November Kyushu Basho tournament.