Tidbits from final day

[Moti Dichne]

41-year-old Tamawashi suffered his 13th loss, being easily pushed out by  Hiradoumi. Unusually for this tournament, he had thick tape wrapped around his right leg. He didn't say anything, but it seemed he was carrying an injury. Nevertheless, he endured the pain and wrestled with all his might every day. His demotion to Juryo is now certain, but after the match, loud applause echoed from the arena for a long time. After the match, he turned the tables on reporters, asking, "How many years has it been since I was demoted to Juryo?" When he heard it was 13 years, he paused for a moment before managing to say, "First of all, I don't want to get discouraged." This tournament was his milestone 100th tournament in Makuuchi, but he had been struggling. "So many things have happened, I just want to take a week off. From there, I want to get myself back on track." He looked dejected at the loud cheers from the fans, saying, "I let them down."

The flag bearer riding shotgun in the winner's parade had not yet been decided even at the time of the awards ceremony. Wakamotoharu, who was in the dressing room, waited with a slightly bewildered expression, saying, "Atsushi (Wakatakakage) apparently wants me to do it, but my Oyakata (Arashio Oyakata) seems to want (Juryo) Daiseizan to do it." After the awards ceremony, Wakatakakage officially nominated him as the flag bearer, and he readily accepted. At the 2022 Haru basho, when Wakatakakage won his first yusho, he was unable to have a parade due to COVID, and had left the venue at the moment the victory was decided. He had previously served as the flag bearer for Aonishiki's victory parade, but said that there was "no parade at all" for Wakatakakage's first victory, and of course, it was the first time the brothers had ridden side-by-side in an open car and responded to the cheers.