Kotonowaka trains

[Moti Dichne]

Kotonowaka and his heya hosted the Nishonoseki rengo-keiko today. He had 15 bouts going 11-4, facing  Gounoyama, Shounannoumi, Ouhou, Ichiyamamoto, Takanoshou, and Ounoshou. Towards the end of the session his old knee injury was acting up and he lost three straight bouts to Ounoshou. "I had 15 straight bouts with a lot of people and the content varied.. I need to polish my forward moving sumo. I was a bit nervous. So many Oyakata giving me advice, and causing me to want to put what they taught me into practice. Yes, it didn't end well with those three consecutive losses, but the worst thing is to get injured and miss the basho. I know I didn't do much forward moving sumo but I did manage to resist at the edge and do all kinds of stuff," he said. No makekoshi at Sanyaku this year. "The fact that I managed to do things properly in Sanyaku is huge, but this should go without saying by now," he said. "My goals? Of course, when I enter I aim for the yusho. Even with that in mind I sometimes can't win, but I need to think that regardless, there is always a chance," he summed. 

Takakeishou did not participate today, citing neck pains.