Ichinoya Mitsuru
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| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Birth name | Tetsuhiro Matsuda | |
| Date of birth | December 28, 1960 | |
| Place of birth | Kagoshima, Japan | |
| Height | 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)[1] | |
| Weight | 98.5 kg (217 lb)[1] | |
| Web presence | website | |
| Career* | ||
| Heya | Takasago | |
| Record | 484-518-6 | |
| Debut | November, 1983 | |
| Highest rank | Sandanme 6 (July, 1991) | |
| Retired | November, 2007 | |
| Yusho | 2 (Jonidan) | |
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* Career information is correct as of September 2007. |
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Ichinoya Mitsuru (born 28 December 1960 as Tetsuhiro Matsuda) is a former sumo wrestler from Tokunoshima, Ōshima, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. His highest rank was sandanme 6.
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[edit] Career
At 46 years of age, Ichinoya was the oldest man in professional sumo since the start of the Showa era in 1926.[2] When he began his sumo career in November 1983 his stablemate, current yokozuna Asashoryu was just three years old.
Ichinoya was interested in sumo from a very young age. He grew up on Tokunoshima island, which was the birthplace of the 46th Yokozuna Asashio Tarō III. He studied physics at Ryukyu University in Okinawa, and started up a sumo club there. He joined Takasago stable upon graduating. He never rose higher than the fourth sandanme division, but he was much admired simply for his longevity and his determination in fighting opponents more than twenty years his junior. At the tournament in May 2007, ranked at Jonidan 87, he fought back from 0-3 down to achieve a 4-3 score and kachi-koshi.[3] In November 2007, having completed 1000 professional bouts, he announced that he was retiring after 24 years in sumo.[4] He also announced his intention to marry.
Ichinoya will remain as the general manager of Takasago stable, looking after its day to day running. He is also a keen computer enthusiast and keeps a regular blog on the heya's website.
In February 2008 Ichinoya had retirement ceremony, or danpatsu-shiki, at a hotel in Tokyo, along with his wedding reception. Asashoryu was among the attendees.
[edit] References
- ^ a b Ichnoya Mitsuru. Sumo Reference. Retrieved on 2007-09-12.
- ^ Blair, Eric (August 2005). Lower Division Rikishi (English). sumofanmag.com. Retrieved on 2007-06-21.
- ^ Buckton, Mark (2007-05-29). Hakuho wrestles his way into the history books (English). Japan Times Online. Retrieved on 2007-06-21.
- ^ http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/sports/20071126TDY20105.htm
