Hakuho resigns: farewell to a sumo legend

1187 wins and 14 years of yokozuna – Hakuho can look back on an unparalleled sumo career. Now he is retiring at the age of 36. Nevertheless, he remains connected to sumo under a new name.

Nobody thought it would be his last big win. “Hakuho is strong!” Shouted the sports reporter at the tournament in Nagoya in July. “The 45th Kaiser Cup is his.”

Now the 36-year-old announced his resignation at a press conference in Tokyo. “I, Hakuho, resign. From now on I will take the name Magaki and be responsible for teaching the younger generation. Thank you very much for 20 years.”

Difficult career start for Hakuho

He will be known as a sumo teacher under the honorary name of Magaki. It is a new name for an incomparable one. Hakuho counted 1,187 victories in his career. He has been a yokozuna, i.e. grandmaster, for 14 years.

In 2000, at the age of 15, he came to Japan from his homeland, Mongolia. At first nobody wanted him, says his teacher Miyagino: “At that time he was only 175 centimeters tall and 62 kilograms. I was worried about how he would get stronger.”

He took him in out of pity – and it paid off. The teenager shot up and became strong: 1.92 meters tall and 155 kilograms. He became a yokuzuna in 2007. More is not possible in sumo. “Hakuho wins all fights! Promotion to yokozuna is now a matter of course,” commented a reporter who observed a fight against Asashoryu at the time.

“My right knee is broken, really crumbly”

Hakuho himself was often humble: “Although I had the dream of becoming a yokozuna, my goal was not to win 45 championships. It was the sum of my efforts, one at a time, that led to this result.”

At some point, however, after many years of sumo wrestling, the body no longer participates in a legend like Hakuho. After his 45th Kaiser Cup in the summer, he already hinted at his withdrawal: “My right knee is already broken, really crumbly and no longer moves as I want. (But) in the last fight I wanted to give everything I had. Me was very determined to win. “

Lots of light, lots of shadow

It was the greatest career in sumo wrestling ever. Grandmaster for 14 years – longer than anyone before him. But the career also had its downsides – and not too few. Hakuho was rude to young wrestlers, was involved in betting scandals, hit some opponents illegally in the face or let attackers run into the air by evasive. The latter is allowed, but not fair for a grandmaster. Because a yokozuna should be a role model and show dignity.

Hakuho is allowed to run his own sumo stable under his new honorary name Magaki, but the Sumo Association has made him promise to heed the instructions of the older stable managers and to preserve the spirit of sumo and its traditions and manners.

Nobody doubts that he will remain connected to the sport. Or as Hakuho puts it: “I really love sumo and I am a happy person.”