Takayasu preparations

[Moti Dichne]

So, what's up with Komusubi Takayasu? He showed up for degeiko at the Tokitsukaze  Ichimon rengo-keiko today after resting for six days and spoke of his desire to achieve double-digit wins for the second basho in a row. Although he was 3-3 in six matches, he showed strong techniques in a few bouts, like pinning Sekiwake Kirishima in a left-hand grip and pushing him out. After the keiko, he said, "I want to do my best to achieve double-digit (wins) in sanyaku. I want to achieve good results in this tournament first, with the aim of returning to Ozeki" Before the previous basho, he was ranked east Maegashira 4 and went 12- 3-, tying for the yusho. He was telling himself that he would aim for double-digit wins in order to use this tournament as a springboard for his return to Ozeki. In order to avoid aggravating his chronic back pain, he rested for six days since his last keiko session at the Nishonoseki Ichimon rengo keiko  "It's not that I can't fight, but if I push myself too hard, it gets worse. I've been patiently refraining from practice, and instead, I've been doing exercises outside the dohyo," he said. Regarding his sumo instincts, he said, "I've been doing this for a long time," emphasizing that with over 20 years of experience since entering the sumo world at the age of 15, there are no problems there. As if to suggest that he felt good about the keiko today, he lightened up by saying, "I'd like to go about it enjoying myself."