At the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament’s fourth day (May 13, Ryogoku Kokugikan), Makushita wrestler Kirinryu (Nishonoseki stable) secured his first victory. Facing off against Dewaumi (Dewanoumi stable), he charged chest-first and secured a morozashi (double underarm grip), then drove forward for a yorikiri win. Now standing at 1 win and 1 loss, he proudly stated, “I knew that if I charged chest-first, I could get both arms inside. My previous experience against him paid off.”
Competing at a career-high rank of Makushita 23, Kirinryu revealed he was overly tense on the first day. “I was too conscious of it,” he said, admitting to feeling nervous from the warm-up in the dressing room, where sekitori (juryo and above) were present. Though he is familiar with the atmosphere of the upper divisions as a tsukebito (personal attendant) for Yokozuna Onosato, fighting himself is a different story. Looking ahead, he tightened his helmet strap, saying: “I want to secure a winning record, but first, one bout at a time.”
