Training news- Oushouma and Kusano

[Moti Dichne]

Even in the scorching heat, he single-mindedly continues to train his muscles and do basic exercises, and continues to do a lot of sumo.  Kusano has made it to Makuuchi after achieving two consecutive Juryo yushos. "I want to be able to enter Makuuchi  with confidence," he says, looking straight ahead.  He was crowned student Yokozuna in his fourth year at Nihon University. Former and was originally slated to join Yokozuna Hakuhou's Miyagino beya, but he joined Isegahama beya after the Miyagino was closed due to the violence scandal. His former Oyakata left the sumo world in June, and former Yokozuna Terunofuji became his new Oyakata. Despite the big change in environment, "it's still as strict as ever. I practice with the determination to do exactly what I'm told." He maintains his honest attitude. There are many sekitori in the stable. He is particularly inspired by his two senior rikishi, Takerufuji and Hakuouhou. Both competed for the yusho as Makuuchi rikishi in the past and Takerufuji won the Emperor's Cup. "Even as a newcomer to the top division, he fought aggressively and without hesitation. I want to be like him, attack aggressively, and do my own style of sumo," he said, showing his passion for keiko.

On the 4th, he was called out by Yokozuna Houshouryuu, who came to train at his heya, and faced him three times. "If I lose easily, people will think, 'That's what Kusano is worth ,'" he said, going at it head-on with a strong determination. Although he lost every match against the Yokozuna, "there were times when I was able to push forward and push him back. After that it was just a matter of a few issues." The 24-year-old is still developing and is gaining confidence every day. His goal for the Nagoya tournament is double-digit wins. He describes his ideal as "fighting unstoppable sumo from the start." With his long-desired topknot now in place, he is set to create a stir in the ring.

I guess this is part of the preparations- new Komusubi Oushouma has a new mawashi. Today he practiced wearing his new mawashi at his heya in Midori Ward, Nagoya. He worked up a sweat with basic exercises. He wore the mawashi, which is a lot more blue than the light blue he had been wearing until the previous tournament, to get used to it as he intends to don it from the first day of the Nagoya tournament. Oushouma said, "I decided on the color myself. It's my favorite color. I'll be wearing this and stepping onto the dohyo for the first time on the first day for the Kyokai greeting (aisatsu) ceremony.. It's exciting," he said, smiling as he imagined the stage where only Sanyaku rikishi or above can stand (the ceremony). He was confident that he was in "perfect condition" for the tournament. On the previous day, the 9th, fellow Mongolian-born Yokozuna Houshouryuu and sekiwake Kirishima came to train with him, and he said, "I fought five or six matches against the Yokozuna, and my results were two wins, three or four losses," and it seems he has realized how much he has grown, saying, "It gave me confidence."