Takekaze
| Takekaze Akira | |
|---|---|
| 豪風 旭 | |
 |
|
| Personal information | |
| Born | Akira Narita June 21, 1979 Akita, Japan |
| Height | 1.71 m (5 ft 7 1⁄2 in) |
| Weight | 145 kg (320 lb; 22.8 st) |
| Career | |
| Stable | Oguruma |
| University | Chuo University |
| Current rank | see below |
| Record | 524-524-46 |
| Debut | May 2002 |
| Highest rank | Sekiwake (Sep, 2014) |
| Championships | 1 (Jūryō) |
| Special Prizes | Fighting Spirit (2) |
| Gold Stars | 1 (Harumafuji) |
| * Up to date as of Feb 26, 2017. | |
Takekaze Akira (born June 21, 1979 as Akira Narita) is a professional sumo wrestler from Akita Prefecture, Japan. A former amateur sumo champion, he turned professional in 2002, reaching the top makuuchi division the following year. He has been a runner-up in one tournament, earned two special prizes for Fighting Spirit, and one gold star for defeating a yokozuna. Takekaze is in first place for the slowest promotion from makuuchi debut to the third highest sekiwake rank in history. Aged 35 years and 2 months, he is in first place for the eldest to make his sekiwake debut post World War II, and as of January 2017 he is the oldest wrestler in the top division. He is a member of Oguruma stable.
Born in Moriyoshi, Kitaakita District, Narita practised sumo in college and was a very dominant player, having achieved the student equivalent of yokozuna after winning the Kokutai (Japan Games) and All Japan University Championship sumo tournaments in 2001, his fourth year at Chuo University. He made his professional debut in May 2002, joining former ōzeki Kotokaze's Oguruma stable.
Upon entry he was given makushita tsukedashi status and allowed to enter at the rank of makushita 15 due to his amateur achievements. He reached sekitori level in just two tournaments, and was promoted to the top makuuchi division in March 2003, the first wrestler from his stable to achieve this.
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