Dylan Bettencourt
Sumo wrestling has suffered a great loss as Hakuho, the best athlete the sport has ever seen, has called time on his stellar career.
Hakuho’s illustrious career includes more than 1,000 wins and winning more titles and perfect championships than any other athlete in the sport. His retirement leaves only one wrestler with the highest ranking possible: Yokozuna.
Hakuho arrived in Japan from his native country of Mongolia at the age of 15 and quickly became a star name in sumo wrestling. He was immediately a formidable opponent and rapidly rose to the top of the ranks.
Injuries have hampered the 36-year-old with the wrestler receiving an official warning for “injury absences” earlier this year. After winning a tournament in July, Hakuho told NHK that he would think long and hard about his future in the sport.
Hakuho reached the Yokozuna rank just five years after making his debut in 2001 and was widely known for his attacking style and has a reputation for bringing a new audience to the sport.
Over 1,000 wins has taken its toll on the wrestler with Hakuho having to undergo knee surgery which has proven too difficult to recover from.
The sumo lifestyle takes its toll later in life. Sumo wrestlers have a life expectancy of between 60 and 65 as the diet and physical activity is extremely hard on the wrestler’s body. At 156kg and 1,92m, Hakuho is an average sized athlete within the sport.
He received his Japanese citizenship in 2019, giving him the right to open a sumo wrestling stable of his own which he said he would do as a way to show gratitude to the sport he loves and adores.
Image source: @TheJapanTimes
