| Takahashi Yuta | |
|---|---|
| 高橋 優太 | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | Yuta Takahashi May 25, 1999 Sukagawa, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan |
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in) |
| Weight | 143 kg (315 lb; 22.5 st) |
| Career | |
| Stable | Nishonoseki |
| University | Nippon Sport Science University |
| Current rank | see below |
| Debut | May, 2022 |
| Highest rank | Jūryō 9 (November, 2023) |
| Championships | 1 (Jonidan) 1 (Jonokuchi) |
| * Up to date as of 27 November 2023. | |
Takahashi Yuta (Japanese: 高橋 優太, born May 25, 1999) is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Sukagawa, Fukushima Prefecture. After a successful amateur career he joined Nishonoseki stable and began his professional career in May 2022.
Early life and sumo background
Takahashi was born on May 25, 1999, in Sukagawa, Fukushima. He began sumo at the age of 4 at the recommendation of his grandfather.[1] He attended a local sumo dojo in Fukushima prefecture and at the age of 12 he left for Niigata prefecture to wrestle for more respectable programs. After graduating high school, he enrolled at Nippon Sport Science University's Department of Martial Arts where he would serve as the captain of the school's sumo club during his fourth year.[2] After graduating from university, he joined Nishonoseki stable and fulfilled his grandfather's wish of him going professional.
Career
Early career
Takahashi made his professional debut as a member of Nishonoseki stable in May 2022 along with fellow NSSU teammate Kayo.[3] He would take the jonokuchi yusho in the following July 2022 tournament after a playoff against Kazuto who handed him his sole loss of the basho[4]. In September 2022, Takahashi won all seven matches and yet another playoff match to claim the jonidan yusho.[5]. In the following November 2022 tournament, Takahashi won his first six matches, but missed out on the sandanme yusho after losing his final match to Hitoshi.[6] Nevertheless, he was promoted to makushita for the January 2023 tournament. He posted strong results in makushita and was promoted to juryo in September 2023.
Jūryō promotion
When the rankings for the September tournament were announced, it was confirmed that Takahashi's score was sufficient to promote him to jūryō, professional sumo's second-highest division. This promotion, acquired at the same time as stablemate and NSSU classmate Ōnosato, allowed Nishonoseki stable to simultaneously receive two new sekitori, and the first two raised by Kisenosato alone since he had become master in 2019.[7] Furthermore, this double promotion marks the first time since July 2012 that two stablemates have gained sekitori status at the same time.[7] At his shin juryo press conference, he said, "There has been difficult times for Fukushima and now I want to give back to my hometown by rising up the banzuke," While expressing his feelings for his hometown of Sukagawa which had been damaged by Great East Japan Earthquake, and mentioning that the city is the birthplace of Eiji Tsuburaya and thus has a connection to Ultraman, "I want to be like Ultraman someone that even young children can look up to and admire." He said.[8]
In his Juryo debut in September 2023 he would go 8-7 securing his kachi-koshi on day 13 in a match against Ukrainian rikishi Shishi. In the following November 2023 basho he would again go 8-7 securing his winning record on day 13 but this time in a match against Yuma.
Fighting style
Takahashi has shown a preference for yotsu techniques which involve grasping his opponent's mawashi or belt. His most common kimarite or winning move are yorikiri force-out wins. His preferred grip is listed as migi-yotsu, meaning a right arm inside and left hand outside position.
Career record
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | x | x | (Maezumo) | West Jonokuchi #17 6–1–P Champion | West Jonidan #44 7–0–P Champion | West Sandanme #43 6–1 |
| 2023 | West Makushita #54 5–2 |
West Makushita #33 6–1 |
East Makushita #13 6–1 |
West Makushita #4 5–2 |
West Jūryō #12 8–7 |
East Jūryō #9 8–7 |
| Record given as win-loss-absent Top Division Champion Top Division Runner-up Retired Lower Divisions Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique Also shown: ★=Kinboshi; P=Playoff(s) | ||||||
See also
References
- ↑ "Winners of each division below Juryo". Baseball Magazine. p.69: Baseball Magazine. August 2022.
{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: location (link) - ↑ "All New Disciples". Baseball Magazine. p.93: Baseball Magazine. June 2022.
{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: location (link) - ↑ "日体大・嘉陽快宗と高橋優太が二所ノ関部屋入門会見「恩返しができるように力を付けて」中村親方". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 5 April 2022. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
- ↑ "高橋が優勝決定戦制し序ノ口優勝「しっかりした相撲とれた」本割で敗れた一翔と"再戦"リベンジ". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 24 July 2022. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
- ↑ "高先場所序ノ口優勝の高橋が序二段もＶ「うれしい気持ちいっぱい」狙い通りの攻めで寄り切り". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 25 September 2022. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
- ↑ "三段目は一翔と日翔志が全勝で優勝決定戦へ ともにしこ名は下の名前". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). 25 November 2022. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
- 1 2 "二所ノ関部屋二重の喜び 大の里が所要2場所、高橋も所要8場所で新十両昇進決める". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). 27 July 2023. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
- ↑ "高橋新十両に昇進 須賀川出身 「相撲磨いて上位に". Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese). 27 July 2023. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
- ↑ "Takahashi Yuta Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
External links
- Takahashi Yuta's official biography (English) at the Grand Sumo Homepage