Kotoshōgiku Kazuhiro
| Kotoshōgiku Kazuhiro | |
|---|---|
| 琴奨菊 和弘 | |
 |
|
| Personal information | |
| Born | Kazuhiro Kikutsugi 30 January 1984 Fukuoka, Japan |
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 1⁄2 in) |
| Weight | 180 kg (400 lb; 28 st) |
| Web presence | website |
| Career | |
| Stable | Sadogatake |
| Current rank | Sekiwake |
| Debut | January, 2002 |
| Highest rank | Ōzeki (November, 2011) |
| Championships | 1 (Makuuchi) 1 (Jūryō) |
| Special Prizes | Technique (4), Outstanding Performance (3) |
| * Up to date as of Jan 22, 2017. | |
Kotoshōgiku Kazuhiro (born 30 January 1984 as Kazuhiro Kikutsugi (菊次 一弘 Kikutsugi Kazuhiro?) in Yanagawa, Fukuoka, Japan), is a sumo wrestler. He made his professional debut in 2002, reaching the top division in 2005. He has earned seven special prizes in his career and been runner-up in three tournaments. He wrestles for Sadogatake stable. In 2011 he achieved the standard for promotion to the second highest rank of ōzeki of winning 33 bouts over three tournaments, and he was formally promoted by the Japan Sumo Association on 28 September. On 24 January 2016 he became the first Japanese-born wrestler in ten years to win a top-division tournament.
Kikutsugi was one of three brothers born to a builder. As a young boy he attended an area sumo exhibition and had his picture taken sitting on the lap of future yokozuna Takanohana. This helped encourage him to try out sumo. He transferred to Meitoku Gijuku Junior High School which is well known for its strong sumo program. In 1998, his third year of junior high, he won a national sumo tournament and was named junior high school yokozuna. He continued sumo Meitoku's high school. In his club, were two Mongolians exchange students, the future sekitori Asasekiryū and future yokozuna Asashōryū. Having become known to the owner of Sadogatake for his sumo skills, he joined that stable after graduating from high school.
He fought his first professional bout in January 2002 under the shikona of Kotokikutsugi. Rising quickly, he changed his name to Kotoshōgiku in January 2004 before reaching jūryō in July 2004 and the top makuuchi division in January 2005. He steadily climbed the top division ranks, reaching maegashira 1 in July 2006, but a disastrous 3–12 result sent him back to maegashira 7. However, two 10–5 results in the following two tournaments saw him rise back up to maegashira 1 and earned him his first Technique prize. He produced a strong 9–6 score in the 2007 New Year tournament.
...
Wikipedia