TOKYO: Sumo is facing a potential chasm at the top of the ancient sport for the first time in over 30 years after the only yokozuna, Terunofuji, announced his retirement on Friday.

The Mongolian-born 33-year-old has been the only top-ranked sumo for more than three years, and only 73 wrestlers have reached his level in the history of the centuries-old sport.

But Terunofuji has struggled with injuries and withdrew from the ongoing New Year Grand Sumo Tournament in Tokyo on Thursday after forfeiting his bout.

He told reporters on Friday that he was retiring to train young wrestlers after “a tough 14 years” in the ring.

“I’ve given everything but at this tournament I wasn’t able to perform as I’d like and you shouldn’t enter the ring if your mind and body are at half-strength,” he said.

“I feel that my body isn’t up to sumo so I have decided to retire.”

Terunofuji, who has won 10 tournaments in his career, is sumo’s only active yokozuna.

Mongolian Hoshoryu has a chance to gain promotion to the exalted rank if he impresses at the New Year tournament. He had four wins and one loss after the opening five days.

If he fails, sumo will have no yokozuna for the first time since March 1993, when Hawaiian-born Akebono made his debut at the rank.

“When I first became a yokozuna, I didn’t think I would be able to continue wrestling for very long,” said Terunofuji, who was promoted to the top rank in July 2021.

“But the fans and other people supported me and encouraged me and that feeling alone kept me going.”

Terunofuji has been sumo’s lone yokozuna since the September 2021 retirement of Hakuho, who had a record 45 tournament victories.

There are no set criteria for promotion from the second rank of ozeki, and cases are considered by the Yokozuna Deliberation Council.

Only one of the seven most recent yokozuna was born in Japan. Of the others, five were born in Mongolia, including Terunofuji, and one in the United States.

Terunofuji completed just two of six tournaments last year as he dealt with injuries and other health problems including diabetes.

He has missed all or part of 13 of 21 tournaments since being promoted to yokozuna.

Terunofuji, who was born Gantulgyn Gan-Erdene in Mongolia’s capital, said he was eyeing a new career as a stablemaster.

Published in Dawn, January 18th, 2025