Kiyokuni

Kiyokuni Katsuo (born 20 November 1941 as Tadao Sato) is a former sumo wrestler from Ogachi, Akita, Japan. His highest rank was '' ōzeki'', which he held from 1969 to 1974. He won one top division ''yūshō'' or tournament championship and was a runner-up in five other tournaments. He also earned seven special prizes and seven gold stars. After his retirement he was the head coach of Isegahama stable.

Career

Recruited by former ''sekiwake'' Kiyosegawa, he made his professional debut in September 1956 (in the same tournament as Taihō). Initially fighting under the ''shikona'' of Wakaikuni, he rose slowly up the ranks, eventually reaching the second highest ''jūryō'' division in May 1963, after 26 tournaments in ''makushita''. He was promoted to the top ''makuuchi'' division in November 1963. In just his second ''makuuchi'' tournament, ranked at ''maegashira'' 13, he produced a superb 14–1 record, losing only on the final day and finishing runner-up to ''yokozuna'' Taihō who won with an unbeaten score. (Because he was ranked so low he was not matched against Taihō during the tournament and so never had the chance to defeat him and force a playoff.) He was awarded the Technique Prize and was promoted straight to ''sekiwake'', sumo's third highest rank – the biggest jump to ''sekiwake'' ever recorded in the six tournaments a year era. He defeated ''yokozuna'' in three consecutive tournaments from September 1964 to January 1965, earning promotion back to the ''san'yaku'' ranks.

After a year or so of being stuck at the ''sekiwake'' rank, Kiyokuni was finally promoted to '' ōzeki'' in May 1969 after his second runner-up performance. Although he had scored only 31 wins in the three tournaments prior to his promotion, below the usual threshold of 33, he immediately dispelled any doubts over his worthiness by taking what was to be his only tournament championship or ''yūshō'' in his ''ōzeki'' debut. He defeated Taihō for only the third time in 25 meetings on the final day and then beat ''maegashira'' Fujinokawa in a playoff after both had finished on 12–3. This was to be the last ''yūshō'' by a member of the Tatsunami-Isegahama ''ichimon'' or group of stables until ''ōzeki'' Asahifuji won his first championship in January 1988.

Kiyokuni was never able to make ''yokozuna'', partly due to neck and spinal injuries from which he never fully recovered. Nevertheless, he was a strong ''ōzeki'', remaining there for 28 ''basho'' and finishing runner-up in May 1971, May 1973 and September 1973. He retired in January 1974, due to a heart complaint.

Retirement from sumo

Kiyokuni became an ''oyakata'', or elder of the Japan Sumo Association after his retirement, and in April 1977 he became head coach of Isegahama stable following the death of his second stablemaster, former ''yokozuna'' Terukuni, who had been in charge since 1961. Initially he had some success, overseeing the late blooming Kurosegawa's rise to ''komusubi'' in 1980 and also producing Wakasegawa who reached the top division in 1983. However, On August 12, 1985 Isegahama's wife and two children died in the Japan Airlines Flight 123 disaster. He was never the same again and the stable began to deteriorate. He was demoted from his position in the Sumo Association after giving an outspoken interview to the ''Shūkan Gendai'' in 2004 in which he criticised the attitude of amateur college champions and foreigners in sumo and made allegations of match-fixing and steroid abuse. By the time he reached the mandatory retirement age of sixty-five in November 2006, there were just two active wrestlers in Isegahama stable left, compared with dozens when he took over. Much to his chagrin he had not even been able to persuade his nephews, Tamanoshima and to join, the two eventual ''sekitori'' opting for Kataonami stable instead. With no long term successor to Kiyokuni available, former ''maegashira'' Katsuhikari took on the Isegahama name, but he dissolved the stable, which dated back to 1859, on February 1, 2007. Its two remaining wrestlers moved to Kiriyama stable. In an attempt to revive the fortunes of the once prestigious Isegahama name, it was assumed by the former Asahifuji in December of that year, who renamed his existing Ajigawa stable to Isegahama stable.

Fighting style

Kiyokuni favoured techniques were ''hidari-yotsu'' (a right hand outside, left hand inside grip on his opponent's ''mawashi''), ''yorikiri'' (force out), and ''oshidashi'' (push out).

Career record

*''The Kyushu tournament was first held in 1957, and the Nagoya tournament in 1958.''

See also

* Glossary of sumo terms
* List of past sumo wrestlers
*List of sumo tournament top division champions
*List of sumo tournament top division runners-up
*List of ōzeki

References

External links

Article marking Kiyokuni's retirement as oyakata



{{DEFAULTSORT:Kiyokuni Katsuo
1941 births
Living people
Japanese sumo wrestlers
Sumo people from Akita Prefecture
Ōzeki
Tenrikyo