Ichinojou

[Moti Dichne]

Ichinojou trained at the heya's Fukuoka facilities today. He arrived with the heya on the fifth but only started training today as the dohyo had to be constructed etc.. He will start serious training tomorrow, today was just limbering of body parts. "It feels good to be in Fukuoka after some time. It's nice and cool and I love it," he said, being reminded of the weather back home. He is still around the 208 kilo mark. "I love the food here-I will definitely be sampling the tonkotsu-ramen and the motsunabe," he said, planning to go after the basho. 

He almost missed last basho after contracting the virus. "I barely made it in and did no real training," he said. He already had six losses on day nine but managed to turn that around and get his kachikoshi at Komusubi, beating both Ozeki and both Sekiwake in the process. He had only one makekoshi this year. "I aim to get a kachikoshi this basho. I will be facing the basho hoping to get as many wins as I can. I can only go about it by having confidence in my abilities without hesitating. I suffer from overthinking  and not being able to do my own sumo, while hesitating at times at the tachiai. I want to be able to properly decide what it is I want to do. To that end, I will be properly training. If I can get into my sumo, that would really boost my confidence," he added. 

He acquired Japanese citizenship a while ago. "in the future I want to properly give back to the Japanese people what they gave me and have acquired the citizenship to that end. I am where I am thanks to my Oyakata and everything he has taught me. I intend to be part of the yusho race. In any case i will do my best not to drop out of the sanyaku and will be ever aiming upwards," he summed.