Toyonoshima Daiki
| Toyonoshima Daiki | |
|---|---|
| 豊ノ島 大樹 | |
 |
|
| Personal information | |
| Born | Daiki Kajiwara June 26, 1983 Sukumo, Kōchi, Japan |
| Height | 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) |
| Weight | 150 kg (330 lb; 24 st) |
| Web presence | website |
| Career | |
| Stable | Tokitsukaze |
| Current rank | see below |
| Debut | January, 2002 |
| Highest rank | Sekiwake (Sept, 2008) |
| Championships | 2 (Jūryō) 1 (Jonidan) 1 (Jonokuchi) |
| Special Prizes | Fighting Spirit (3) Technique (4) Outstanding Performance (3) |
| Gold Stars | 4 Harumafuji (3) Hakuhō |
| * Up to date as of May 1, 2017. | |
Toyonoshima Daiki (born June 26, 1983 as Daiki Kajiwara) is a professional sumo wrestler from Sukumo, Kōchi, Japan. He made his professional debut in January 2002, reaching the top makuuchi division in September 2004. He has been a runner-up in five tournaments, and has earned ten special prizes. His highest rank has been sekiwake, which he first reached in September 2008 and has held for five tournaments to date. Following a suspension in July 2010 he was demoted to the jūryō division, but upon his return to makuuchi in November 2010 he took part in a playoff for the championship. He has been runner-up in four other top division tournaments. He has four kinboshi or gold stars awarded for yokozuna upsets, three of them earned by defeating Harumafuji from 2013 to 2015. He wrestles for Tokitsukaze stable.
Toyonoshima is the oldest son of a tofu maker. In his early years, he was an avid soccer player. However, his destiny changed after winning an area boys' sumo tournament championship. In junior high and high school, he was rivals with another future sumo wrestler who would go on to take the fighting name Kotoshōgiku. Kotoshōgiku is now a rival of his in professional sumo as well. After graduating from high school, Toyonoshima joined Tokitsukaze stable through a connection a friend of his father's had with the stable. He was below the minimum height requirement of 173 cm but was allowed to make his debut after passing a secondary physical exam.
On entering the sumo world, Toyonoshima rose quickly through the lower ranks of sumo, winning two championships or yūshō in the jonokuchi and jonidan divisions with perfect 7-0 records. He reached sekitori status in March 2004 after a 5-2 result at the rank of makushita 2. He moved through the jūryō in just two tournaments with consecutive 11-4 records. Upon reaching the top makuuchi division he initially had little success and was demoted back to jūryō twice. However, after winning the jūryō championship in September 2005 with a strong 14-1 record, his fortunes began to turn and after some initial struggles, he rose steadily through the ranks of makuuchi.
...
Wikipedia