Kazakhstan sumo wrestler wins historic award at tournament in Japan

Tengrinews.kz - Kazakhstan wrestler Yersin Baltagul has reached the additional round of the Emperor's Sumo Cup in Tokyo (Japan).

The Kazakhstani, who competes in Japan under the name Kinbozan Haruki, was the leader before the final day of the competition, but after losing in the 15th round to the Japanese Oho Konosuke, three athletes immediately had the same number of points.

The fate of the prestigious trophy was decided in an additional round between three sumo wrestlers: Yersin Baltagul, the Japanese who defeated him, and Hoshoryu Tomokatsu from Mongolia. Having won two additional fights, the representative of Mongolia became the winner, and the Kazakhstani eventually won third place.

27-year-old sumo wrestler from Kazakhstan has lived in Japan since the age of 18, and in his childhood he was engaged in "kazaksha kures" and judo. In 2019, Yersin Baltagul became the Japanese Youth Sumo Champion. No representative of Kazakhstan had ever performed so successfully at the most prestigious tournament in the homeland of sumo.