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All eyes on Konishiki, but Akebono wins
TOKYO, May 24 As the tournament started, all eyes were on Konlshlkl- a Hawaiian who had been quoted as saying racism had kept him from becoming the first non-Japanese wrestler to reach sumo’s high est rank, reports AP
Konlshlkl denied ever say Ing that, but expectations were that he could gain promotion to yokozuna—or grand cham pion—by winning the !5 day Summer Grand sumo touma ment
Instead, another Hawaiian. Akebono. won the champl onship In impressive fashion while Konlshlkl floundered
The likely result was Akebono joining Konlshlkl at sumo's second highest rank— ozekl. or champion. The promotion committee meets We dnesday. So far. Konlshikl is the only foreign wrestler to climb that high in the Jape nese traditional sport.
Akebono. 22. now a sekiwake (junior champion), cline bed victory In his finalmatch Sunday, finishing at 13 2 after blasting No 7 maegashira (senior wrestler) Wakahan^da out of the ring with fierce hand thrusts Wakahanada could have tied Akebono at 12 from the capacity crowd of 11.000 when the 2O4 cen tlmeter (6 foot. 8 inch), 200-kllogram (440-pound) former Basketball player received his ^^anwhile the 262-klfo Sram (576-pound) Konlshlkl nlshed at 9-6 by throwing
down komusubi (junior cham
pion second class) Akinos h Ima He doomed his chances with a four-match losing streak in the tournament's first week. He did. however beat Akebono In their meeting
The question had arisen whether the tradition bound sumo world would accept a foreigner as a yokozuna Aside from standards requiring two consecutive tournament vic to ries. or a record deemed of equal worth, there Is an unde fined requirement of "dignity", which critics say could be used to deny top ranking for foreigners
Konlshlkl. 28, whose real name Is Salevaa Fuaull Attsanoe, had won two of the last three tournaments, but not two In a row.
The question now fades into the background for a while. Sumo experts say Konlshlkl needs to start over to put together two good tournaments Akebono isn't ready for consideration for yokozuna rank because he has not reached ozekl yet.
Still panting from exertion. Akebono said after Sunday s bout that he had gone In feel ing confident after Jesse Kuhaulua. master of his train Ing stable, told him. "you will win the championship if you keep calm and wrestle your own sumo."
*1 am extremely happy.' said Akebono. who became only the third foreign wrestler to win a major tournament Konlshlkl has won three Kuhaulua. a Hawaiian native who now is a Japanese citizen, won one 20 years ago under the name Takamiyama
‘It's like a dream. He (Akebono) wrestled well " Kuhaulua said
Akebono. whose real name Is Chad Rowan. received 5 mil Hon yen (dlrs 39,000 billion) for the tournament champl onship and another 5 million yen for his fourth outstanding performance award
In ceremonies In the ring. US Ambassador Michael Armacost read a statement in Japanese: "Representing the American people, I congratu late wrestler Akcbono’s first victory in a tournament."
He expressed hope that Akebono would devote himself more to Japan's traditional sport.
Shortly after first arriving in Tokyo In February 1988 Akebono told reporters that the hoped to become like Kuhaulua. who wrestled for 20 years and at one point reached sumo's third highest rank of sekiwake.
Bowan, who wrestled and played basketball at Kaiser High School In Honolulu, had his first bout In the spring tournament In 1988 and reached the makuucht dtvl sion, the top level. In 15 tour naments Kuhaulua had done tt in 23 of the slx-a-year touma ments
Konlshlkl reached maku uchl in 12 tournaments and Hawaiian Musashtmaru. or Flamalu Penltanl, tn 13