Asanoyama keiko

[Moti Dichne]

Former Ozeki and current West Maegashira 12 Asanoyama completed the first half of the Spring tour with keiko focused on basic lower body exercises such as shiko, and expressed his eagerness to "start practicing actual sumo soon." This is his first time he joins the jungyo in two years since Haru 2024 when he was a rank-and-file rikishi. He ruptured the ligament in his left knee at the Nagoya basho that year, dropping eventually to Sandanme.  He made his return to the Makuuchi at the January Basho after nine bashos. After keiko, he smiled at the daily provided bento box meals, saying, "This is also part of the Juryo. It's a nostalgic atmosphere." Compared to the days of treatment, rehabilitation, and solo keiko that could easily have made him feel down, this is a time to lift his spirits. At the Haru basho, he had a kachikoshi of 8-7 , but suffered three consecutive losses until the final day. He also suffered three consecutive losses in the last three days of the January Basho. "I still had energy left. The feeling of 'I want to win' and 'I can't lose' was too strong, and I couldn't move forward in my own style." It seems he became re-accustomed to the atmosphere of Makuuchi and his body and mind seem revitalized. (Nobuya Okumura)