Takanowaka Yūki
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| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Birth name | Yūki Ozaki | |
| Date of birth | April 2, 1976 | |
| Place of birth | Nagasaki, Japan | |
| Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | |
| Weight | 149 kg (330 lb) | |
| Career* | ||
| Heya | Naruto | |
| Record | 505-470-66 | |
| Debut | March 1992 | |
| Highest rank | Sekiwake (January 2003) | |
| Retired | September, 2007 | |
| Yusho | 1 (Jūryō) 1 (Makushita) |
|
| Special Prizes | Fighting Spirit (3) | |
| Gold stars | 1 (Musashimaru) | |
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* Career information is correct as of September 2007. |
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Takanowaka Yūki (born 2 April 1976 as Yūki Ozaki) is a former sumo wrestler from Ikitsuki, Nagasaki, Japan. His highest rank was sekiwake.
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[edit] Career
Takanowaka was born as Yūki Ozaki, the son of a professional baseball player. In his youth he played not only baseball but also basketball, for which he was offered several scholarships.[1] He tried sumo at the suggestion of his school's sumo club manager, who had connections with Naruto stable.[1] Takanowaka joined the stable in March 1992, making his debut alongside future sekiwake Wakanosato. As is common, he initially fought under his own surname, soon switching to "Takaozaki" before adopting the fighting name of Takanowaka in 1998. Initially weighing only 80 kg (180 lb), it took him several years to work his way through the lower ranks. He was promoted to the second highest jūryō division in May 1999 and reached the top makuuchi division just three tournaments later in November 1999.
Takanowaka was ranked in the top division for 34 tournaments in total, with a win-loss rate of 229-242, with 39 absences. He earned one kinboshi, or gold star, by defeating yokozuna Musashimaru in May 2001, and three special prizes. His best performance was probably in November 2002 when produced a strong 11-4 record at komusubi rank and won his third Fighting Spirit prize. He was promoted to sekiwake in January 2003 and held his rank with a good 9-6 score but missed the whole of the March 2003 tournament with an injury. As a result, he fell to the maegashira ranks and he never managed to return to the titled sanyaku ranks again. After suffering from torn cartilage in his knees his results took a downward turn. He was demoted to jūryō in January 2006 and the unsalaried makushita division in July 2007.
[edit] Retirement from sumo
On 22 September 2007 Takanowaka announced his retirement from sumo, after withdrawing from the September tournament with four losses at the rank of makushita 2. His official retirement ceremony took place on 16 February 2008 at the Ryogoku Kokugikan. He is not staying with the Sumo Association as an elder, and has left the sumo world completely.
[edit] Top division record
| January Hatsu basho, Tokyo |
March Haru basho, Osaka |
May Natsu basho, Tokyo |
July Nagoya basho, Nagoya |
September Aki basho, Tokyo |
November Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | x | x | x | x | x | West Maegashira #14 9–6 |
| 2000 | East Maegashira #12 10–5 F |
West Maegashira #4 5–10 |
East Maegashira #7 8–7 |
West Maegashira #2 6–9 |
West Maegashira #5 5–10 |
West Maegashira #8 11–4 |
| 2001 | East Komusubi 4–11 |
West Maegashira #4 8–7 |
West Maegashira #1 5–10 ★ |
West Maegashira #5 9–6 |
West Maegashira #2 8–7 |
East Maegashira #2 6–9 |
| 2002 | East Maegashira #5 3–4–8 |
West Maegashira #11 11–4 F |
West Maegashira #3 7–8 |
East Maegashira #4 7–8 |
West Maegashira #4 8–7 |
West Komusubi 11–4 F |
| 2003 | East Sekiwake 9–6 |
Sat out due to injury | West Maegashira #6 0–2–13 |
Sat out due to injury | (Jūryō) | West Maegashira #12 7–8 |
| 2004 | West Maegashira #13 4–11 |
(Jūryō) | West Maegashira #16 8–7 |
West Maegashira #13 8–7 |
West Maegashira #12 8–7 |
East Maegashira #12 8–7 |
| 2005 | East Maegashira #9 6–9 |
East Maegashira #12 7–8 |
East Maegashira #13 5–10 |
West Maegashira #17 8–7 |
East Maegashira #15 9–6 |
West Maegashira #10 1–11–3 |
| 2006 | (Jūryō) | (Jūryō) | (Jūryō) | (Jūryō) | (Jūryō) | (Jūryō) |
| 2007 | (Jūryō) | (Jūryō) | (Jūryō) | (Makushita) | (Makushita) | Retired 0–0–15 |
| Record given as win-loss-absent Championship Retired Demoted from makuuchi Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique Also shown: ★=Kinboshi |
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[edit] References
- ^ a b Perran, Thierry (November 2007). The retirement of former sekiwake Takanowaka. Le Monde Du Sumo. Retrieved on 2008-04-17.
- ^ Rikishi in Juryo and Makunouchi (English). szumo.hu. Retrieved on 2007-07-23.
