Georgian sumo champion Tochinoshin set for promotion in title

Tochinoshin (centre) currently holds the third-highest sumo title of Sekiwake. Photo: Tochinoshin Twitter profile.
Agenda.ge, 29 May 2018 - 17:55, Tbilisi,Georgia

Georgian sumo champion Tochinoshin is set to be granted a promotion to the second-highest rank of the sport’s wrestlers following his consecutive wins in the ongoing competitive season in Japan.

Currently holding the third-ranked title of Sekiwake, Tochinoshin (born Levan Gorgadze) has exhibited a consistent form in the summer calendar, claiming 12 consecutive victories.

He capped the impressive consistency with a defeat of Hakuho, a sumo champion holding the highest title of Yokozuna, last week.

The achievements, combined with his first Grand Sumo Tournament champion’s title in January and 10 wins in the spring season, have prompted the Japan Sumo Association to call an emergency meeting on Wednesday.

The calling of the board meeting is a virtual confirmation of promotion for the Georgian athlete to the title of Ozeki, which is classified directly below the Yokozuna.

Tochinoshin has been victorious in 36 fixtures of the last three sumo competitions, which exceeds the necessary result for attaining the Ozeki title.

Ounomatsu, head of the judging section of the sumo association, noted the consistency achieved by the Georgian over the seasons, as well as last week’s win, as factors that have prompted the Wednesday meeting for promotion.

His Grand Sumo title in January was recognised on a state level in Georgia, as Tochinoshin received the country’s Order of Honour from President Giorgi Margvelashvili in February.

Born in Mtskheta, Georgia, Gorgadze has competed in 71 basho tournaments in sumo since 2006. He has won three Juryo Division Championships and two Makushita Division Championships.

The full statistics of Tochinoshin’s performances, as well as his awards, can be viewed on his profile page here.