Baruto Ozeki promotion

[Kintamayama 45,086]

Tomozuna Oyakata, head of the Judging Department, has notified Musashigawa rijicho that a special meeting will convene on March 31st, the day of the Banzuke making, to discuss Baruto's ascension. Baruto will be the 8th foreigner to become Ozeki.

Foreign Ozeki:

Konishiki

Akebono

Musashimaru

Asashouryuu

Kotooushuu

Hakuhou

Harumafuji

Baruto

Edited March 28, 2010 by Kintamayama

[Kotoviki 16]

Nothing else to say but (Holiday feeling...) (Clapping wildly...) (Clapping wildly...) (Clapping wildly...) (Clapping wildly...) (Clapping wildly...) (Clapping wildly...)

Oh that and I started crying with happiness after every win from about the 7th day on!!!

[Barang 0]

As my dream has come true already (Holiday feeling...) Baruto will be Ozeki (Clapping wildly...) I need new dream. What will be needed for Yokozuna promotion? Is one Yusho and 39 wins enough?

[Asashosakari 19,306]

What will be needed for Yokozuna promotion? Is one Yusho and 39 wins enough?

No, that's Totoro's Hoshitori.

[kotoeikoku 0]

Didn't Musashigawa Rijicho hint at 'greater things' in store for Baruto too?

I wonder if any of the more stats-minded members could make some kind of comparative strength rating (or something similar) between Baruto and newly-promoted Ozekis who went on to make Yokozuna?

I would try myself, only I have a hard enough time counting my fingers, let alone anything else (seriously, took the GRE the other day. 99 percentile verbal, 95 percentile analytical writing, 36 percentile quantitative (Holiday feeling...) ).

[Kintamayama 45,086]

Baruto is practicing the words he will say when he is formally told of his promotion. "They are simple words but strong.I'm really nervous so I hope I don't screw it up..", he said. The meeting is usually held at the heya, when the Kyokai emissaries arrive, but Onoe's Osaka lodgings are small, so it will be held at a supporter's private home. It's also customary for a new Ozeki to have his picture taken with a sea bream. This afternoon, Baruto and Onoe Oyakata taped a TV show , where they fished and caught a few of them. "We'll take these for the pictures -it's a good omen!", said the Oyakata.

[Asashosakari 19,306]

Didn't Musashigawa Rijicho hint at 'greater things' in store for Baruto too?

Baruto is practicing the words he will say when he is formally told of his promotion. "They are simple words but strong.I'm really nervous so I hope I don't screw it up..", he said.

In line with the great expectations placed on him, it appears that Baruto's formal statement will be patterned after that offered by Kitanoumi when he earned the promotion to ozeki in 1974. Kitanoumi of course competed out of Mihogaseki-beya, the parent stable and ichimon affiliate of Baruto's Onoe-beya, and later became dai-yokozuna.

Important words deserve a better interpreter than me, here's Kitanoumi's statement in the original: 「名誉ある地位を汚さぬよう一生懸命努力します」

[Asashosakari 19,306]

Odd coincidence note: 2010 is the 53rd year since the introduction of the 6-basho system. Baruto will be the 53rd rikishi to make his ozeki debut in that time frame.

[Asashosakari 19,306]

It's also customary for a new Ozeki to have his picture taken with a sea bream. This afternoon, Baruto and Onoe Oyakata taped a TV show , where they fished and caught a few of them.

Here comes the suspension for not wearing proper attire...

[Kintamayama 45,086]

Important words deserve a better interpreter than me, here's Kitanoumi's statement in the original: 「名誉ある地位を汚さぬよう一生懸命努力します」

"I will make an utmost effort to not taint the honorable status"

[Barang 0]

It's also customary for a new Ozeki to have his picture taken with a sea bream. This afternoon, Baruto and Onoe Oyakata taped a TV show , where they fished and caught a few of them.

I wish that he will have luck on both ways in future as this Estonian article tells that he was not lucky in fishing, but catch a good wife. (Flying a plane...) No fishing luck , but catch good wife

[Washuyama 641]

Sumo: Estonian wrestler Baruto promoted to ozeki

TOKYO, March 31 KYODO

Estonian wrestler Baruto was promoted to sumo's second-highest rank of ozeki on Wednesday after a series of strong performances in recent tournaments.

The Japan Sumo Association endorsed Baruto's promotion at an executive committee meeting convened after the 25-year-old compiled a 14-1 record at last week's Spring Grand Sumo Tournament in Osaka, where his only defeat came at the hands of lone grand champion and eventual championship winner Hakuho.

Wrestling at sumo's third rank of sekiwake, Baruto, whose real name is Kaido Hoovelson, went 9-6 at the Kyushu basho in November and followed up with a 12-3 showing in January at the New Year meet.

His record in Osaka saw him surpass the JSA's loosely set requirement for ozeki promotion of 33 to 34 wins over three consecutive tournaments.

Baruto, whose cheerful disposition and quirky sense of humor has won him an increasing number of fans, becomes only the second European wrestler after Bulgarian grappler Kotooshu to attain ozeki status.

A former judo wrestler who also once worked as a nightclub bouncer, Baruto arrived in Japan in 2004 and worked his way through the lower divisions before reaching sumo's second-tier juryo division for the 2005 autumn meet.

He became the first wrestler in 43 years to win the juryo title with a perfect 15-0 record at the 2006 spring basho and joined the elite makuuchi division two months later.

==Kyodo

Edited March 31, 2010 by Washuyama

[Jonosuke 28]

That fish Baruto is seen holding at his ozeki promotion party was indeed caught by him - he actually caught three around 50 cm long but this was all at a fish pond. Baruto does not appear to be much of fisherman as his wife caught eight.

[shumitto 418]

Three foreigner Ozeki all well below the 30-year-old mark, while the two Japanese are into the 30+. What will come of that ?

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

[Tamaikazuchi 4]

This being my first real basho as a sumo fan, watching Baruto's progress as the days went on has been a real joy. Years down the road when I'm telling all the youngun's how easy they have it, I'll tell them how Baruto was the man who really cemented my love of sumo. I'll develop other favorites as the time goes on, but I can already tell Baruto's going to have a special place for me.

Congratulations on your promotion! (Flying a plane...)

[Kintamayama 45,086]

Ozeki Baruto is now a reality. "If I don't yusho I'll never make it to Yokozuna!" he declared. Dewanoumi and Kasugano came over to announce his promotion officially.

Baruto's acceptance speech:

"I humbly accept. I will concentrate on my keiko and will make the utmost effort not to taint this honorable status."

Interview:

Q; You seem relieved now that the ceremony is over..

A: I wasn't nervous. I thought it would be OK. At the very end I became really uptight. Phew..

Q: How nervous were you compared to the second half of the basho?

A: More than on the dohyo..

Q: Your message (the acceptance speech) was loud and clear..

A: I thought if I spoke loud and slowly I would be better understood.

Q: Did you practice the speech much?

A: Since the day before yesterday, all the time..

Q: What were you trying to convey in your message?

A: That becoming an Ozeki is a great thing. Keiko is also important.Other than that, I'd like to stay healthy.

Q: Would you like to defend your status?

A: Sure..

Q: Your feelings on your promotion?

A: I'm totally blank right now..I'm nervous..

Q: What kind of an Ozeki do you wish to become?

A: A cheerful one. One that thinks the fans are important. I'd like to show everyone powerful sumo. I'd like to be a superb Ozeki!!

Q: What do you mean by a "cheerful" Ozeki?

A: Well, a lot of people say they are afraid of sumo wrestlers.. My message is that sumo wrestlers are cheerful as well.

Q: You want to be an approachable Ozeki..

A: Indeed.

Baruto: "This is my best 'I'm not nervous' face.."

Edited March 31, 2010 by Kintamayama

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

A short news video available on this page (probably for a very limited time)...

[sekihiryu 51]

Here comes the suspension for not wearing proper attire...

I thought sport and liesure activities were exempt from the jedi robes? Technically should he be wearing them in this case?

Also, FWIW.... sea bream - schmee bream, that's a red snapper!

[Kuroyama 715]

Here comes the suspension for not wearing proper attire...

I thought sport and liesure activities were exempt from the jedi robes? Technically should he be wearing them in this case?

No! They must go skiing in kimono!

[Sashohitowa 6]

Is the woman Baruto's wife?

Awful tachi-ai.

[Kintamayama 45,086]

Baruto trains to become the new yumitorikishi:

YMY actually holding him on his belly:

With the Red Sea Bream Snapper:

Edited March 31, 2010 by Kintamayama

[Asashosakari 19,306]

That fish Baruto is seen holding at his ozeki promotion party was indeed caught by him - he actually caught three around 50 cm long but this was all at a fish pond. Baruto does not appear to be much of fisherman as his wife caught eight.

Dynamic duo:

[Fay 1,677]

Is the woman Baruto's wife?

Awful tachi-ai.

No it's the okamisan.

[Zenjimoto 40]

Important words deserve a better interpreter than me, here's Kitanoumi's statement in the original: 「名誉ある地位を汚さぬよう一生懸命努力します」

"I will make an utmost effort to not taint the honorable status"

And that will basically play a big part in defining Baruto's career as Ozeki and beyond. He's had a few run-ins with controversy already, and as Ozeki the bar will be raised even higher in terms of conduct. Here's hoping that he will not become the new favorite punching bag of the forces against foreigners after Asashoryu's departure.

On a personal note, I once posted on this forum my belief that Baruto will never be Ozeki due to his recurring knee problems, since such injury-prone rikishi can't compete consistently enough, despite their talents. I am glad to see that at least for the time being he seems to have found ways to beat these injuries, and I wish him good health and much success in the years to come! (On the banzuke...)