| 日馬富士 公平 Harumafuji Kōhei |
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|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Born | Davaanyamyn Byambadorj April 14, 1984 Ulan Bator, Mongolia |
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) |
| Weight | 126 kg (280 lb; 19.8 st) |
| Web presence | website |
| Career | |
| Heya | Isegahama |
| Current rank | Ōzeki |
| Debut | January, 2001 |
| Highest rank | Ōzeki (January, 2009) |
| Yūshō | 2 (Makuuchi) 1 (Jūryō) 1 (Sandanme) 1 (Jonokuchi) |
| Sanshō | Fighting Spirit (1) Technique (5) Outstanding Performance (4) |
| Kinboshi | 1 (Asashōryū) |
| * Career information is correct as of Nov 2011. | |
Harumafuji Kōhei (日馬富士 公平, born April 14, 1984 as Davaanyamyn Byambadorj, Mongolian: Даваанямын Бямбадорж, in Ulan Bator, Mongolia), previously known as Ama Kōhei, is a sumo wrestler. He began his professional career in 2001 and reached the top makuuchi division in 2004. A relative lightweight noted for his technical skill, he has won ten special prizes for his achievements in tournaments. In November 2008 he became the seventh foreign born wrestler in sumo history to reach the second highest rank of ōzeki. In May 2009, he won his first championship, winning the Natsu Basho (May tournament).
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His father was a Mongolian wrestler, holding a rank roughly equivalent to sumo's sekiwake. He appeared at the Naadam, a Mongolian games festival that includes wrestling, at the age of 15. He was scouted by Ajigawa-oyakata in July 2000 and subsequently joined Ajigawa stable (now Isegahama stable). He took the fighting name Ama and made his first appearance in January 2001. He reached the top makuuchi division in November 2004, rising slowly to komusubi in May 2006. However, a disappointing 4-11 result in this tournament sent him back to the maegashira ranks.
On the eve of the January 2007 tournament his father was killed in a traffic accident. Nevertheless he turned in a strong 10-5 record there and earned promotion back to komusubi for March. In May 2007 he made his debut at sekiwake rank, becoming the ninth foreign born rikishi to do so. He held his rank with an 8-7 record.
In September 2007 from komusubi rank Ama defeated Yokozuna Hakuhō on the opening day and also beat two ōzeki. He also memorably defeated newcomer Gōeidō with a spectacular technique known as okuritsuriotoshi or "rear lifting body slam."[1] He finished with a 10-5 score and won his first Shunkun-sho or Outstanding Performance award. He picked up his second Outstanding Performance award in November with another defeat of Hakuhō, and earned promotion back to sekiwake.
In the January 2008 tournament Ama was the only wrestler to defeat Hakuho during Hakuho's successful bid for the tournament championship. This was also his third consecutive defeat of Hakuho, and this victory helped him to win his third Shunkun-sho in a row. However he failed to score more than nine wins, denting his hopes for ozeki promotion, which normally requires three consecutive double-figure scores. After a poor start to the March 2008 tournament, he had to win his last four matches to barely preserve his rank with an 8-7 record. On the 8th day at the May 2008 tournament, he amazed audiences by defeating Wakanoho with a perfectly executed utchari or spin throw on the bales.[2] After the match, Wakanoho acted violently and was warned.[3] On the 10th day, he also threw yokozuna Hakuho into the seats with an overarm throw, ending his winning streak.[4] After the tournament Ama was awarded his third Technique prize.
In the July 2008 tournament he achieved a double figure score for the first time at sekiwake, and won another Technique prize. In the September 2008 tournament Ama finished with twelve wins, recording his second jun yusho (second place finish, an informal designation), and was awarded his fourth Outstanding Performance award.
The November 2008 tournament was the most successful yet for Ama, as he won 13 bouts (including his bout against Hakuho) and his thirty five victories over the last three tournaments exceeded the thirty three generally required for ōzeki promotion. He reached a play-off against Hakuho as a result and lost the play-off, still, his promotion was now inevitable.[5] He was awarded his fifth Technique prize and achieved another jun yusho. On November 26, 2008, Ama was promoted to Ozeki by the Sumo Association, and on the occasion had his fighting name or shikona changed to Harumafuji.[6] The name was chosen by his stablemaster, former yokozuna Asahifuji.
Harumafuji's debut tournament as an ozeki in January 2009 was inauspicious. He lost his first four matches before rallying later in the tournament to secure an 8-7 majority of wins. He did better in the following tournament in March, defeating Asashoryu and winning ten bouts.
In May he went undefeated in his first twelve matches until he was beaten by Hakuho on Day 13 with a rare leg sweep, susoharai. Harumafuji recovered to defeat Asashoryu the next day with an outer leg trip, sotogake. With Hakuho falling to Kotoōshū on the same day, both men went into Day 15 with identical 13-1 records. Harumafuji defeated Kotoōshū for a career-best 14-1 record while Hakuho was victorious over Asashoryu, setting up a playoff. Harumafuji defeated Hakuho with an under-arm throw, shitatenage, to win his first top division championship. He became the third Mongolian to win the Emperor's Cup, and the eighth foreigner overall.[7] Harumafuji's mother was in the audience to see him awarded the trophy by Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso.[8] However in the following July basho he recorded only a disappointing 9-6.
He pulled out of the November 2010 tournament on Day 4 having injured his right ankle in a defeat to Tochinoshin.[9] His preparations for the tournament had already been hampered by a shoulder injury sustained during training with Hakuho.
In July 2011 Harumafuji won his second championship, defeating Hakuho on the 14th day to win his fourteenth straight match and establish an unassailable two win lead over his rival.[10] This stopped Hakuho's streak of consecutive yusho at seven. It was also the first time since his first yusho that he had won more than ten bouts in a tournament. Harumafuji commented after his victory, "I really wrestled the sumo of my life. I've had many troubles and injuries since becoming ozeki but I kept training and got support from a lot of people."[11] He lost his final day match to Kisenosato to finish on 14-1.
Harumafuji is a relative lightweight (currently the lightest wrestler in the makuuchi division at 126 kg or 280 lb) and is known for his speed, particularly at the tachi-ai, or initial charge. He is regarded as a technician, like many other Mongolian sumo wrestlers, specialising in throws and lifts. He has used 36 different winning kimarite in his career to date.[12] He is adept at both uwatenage (overarm throw) and shitatenage (underarm throw) as well as uwatedashinage (pulling overarm throw). He is also skilled at tsuki or thrusting techniques, and his second most common winning move after yori-kiri is oshi-dashi, or push out.
In October 2011 he married fellow Mongolian, M. Battuul, a student at Iwate University whom he met in December of the previous year. The wedding ceremony had been postponed due upheavals in the sumo world over the match fixing scandal. Their first child, a girl, was born in December 2010.
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | (Maezumo) | West Jonokuchi #29 7–0 Champion |
East Jonidan #22 5–2 |
West Sandanme #88 5–2 |
East Sandanme #53 4–3 |
East Sandanme #42 4–3 |
| 2002 | West Sandanme #28 4–3 |
West Sandanme #14 7–0–P Champion |
West Makushita #15 2–5 |
West Makushita #27 2–5 |
East Makushita #46 5–2 |
West Makushita #26 2–5 |
| 2003 | East Makushita #46 4–3 |
East Makushita #38 5–2 |
East Makushita #23 5–2 |
East Makushita #11 5–2 |
East Makushita #7 6–1 |
East Makushita #1 3–4 |
| 2004 | West Makushita #2 4–3 |
East Jūryō #12 10–5 |
East Jūryō #7 6–9 |
East Jūryō #9 9–6 |
East Jūryō #4 11–4–P Champion |
West Maegashira #14 8–7 |
| 2005 | East Maegashira #13 8–6–1 |
West Maegashira #11 9–6 T |
East Maegashira #9 8–7 |
East Maegashira #8 6–9 |
East Maegashira #11 9–6 |
West Maegashira #5 7–8 |
| 2006 | East Maegashira #6 9–6 ★ |
East Maegashira #2 8–7 T |
West Komusubi 4–11 |
East Maegashira #4 6–9 |
East Maegashira #6 11–4 F |
East Maegashira #1 6–9 |
| 2007 | East Maegashira #4 10–5 |
East Komusubi 8–7 |
West Sekiwake 8–7 |
West Sekiwake 7–8 |
West Komusubi 10–5 O |
East Komusubi 10–5 O |
| 2008 | West Sekiwake 9–6 O |
East Sekiwake 8–7 |
East Sekiwake 9–6 T |
East Sekiwake 10–5 T |
East Sekiwake 12–3 O |
East Sekiwake 13–2–P T |
| 2009 | East Ōzeki 8–7 |
West Ōzeki 10–5 |
West Ōzeki 14–1–P |
East Ōzeki 9–6 |
East Ōzeki 9–6 |
East Ōzeki 9–6 |
| 2010 | West Ōzeki 10–5 |
East Ōzeki 10–5 |
East Ōzeki 9–6 |
West Ōzeki 10–5 |
East Ōzeki 8–7 |
East Ōzeki 0–4–11 |
| 2011 | West Ōzeki 8–7 |
West Ōzeki Tournament Cancelled 0–0–0 |
West Ōzeki 10–5 |
West Ōzeki 14–1 |
East Ōzeki 8–7 |
West Ōzeki 8–7 |
| 2012 | West Ōzeki – |
x | x | x | x | x |
| Record given as win-loss-absent Top Division Champion Retired Lower Divisions Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique Also shown: ★=Kinboshi(s) P=Playoff(s) |
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