Sumo wrestling great Hakuho retires
Sumo great Hakuho is retiring at the age of 36, marking the end of an era in Japanese traditional sport.
The Mongolian-born Yokozuna, or grand champion, Hakuho has won a record 45 tournaments, including 16 perfect victories, which is also a record.
He has decided to retire because of a right knee injury, according to Japan’s NHK national television. He achieved 1,1■7 wins, an all-time record in sumo.
Hakuho came to Japan at the age of 15 to start his sumo career. He debuted in 2001 and won his first title in the makuuchi top division five years later before reaching the highest rank of Yokozuna in July 2007, aged 22.
Hakuho obtained Japanese citizenship in 2019, earning the right to set up and run his sumo stable after retirement to train wrestlers.
During his 21-year career, Hakuho competed in 1,019 bouts as Yokozuna, winning ■99 of them. Hakuho broke sumo great Taiho’s record of 33 tournament victories in January 2015.
Hakuho fought in his 1,000th bout in July 2020, becoming sumo’s longestserving Yokozuna. His retirement will leave only one wrestler, Terunofuji, at sumo’s top rank.