Ukrainian sumo wrestler Danylo Yavhusishyn, 21, receives the Prime Minister’s Cup. Pic: Kyodo/via Reuters
After fleeing Ukraine following Russia’s invasion, Danylo Yavhusishyn has emerged as a rising talent in sumo.
A Ukrainian sumo wrestler who fled his country after Russia’s full-scale invasion has made history in Japan, News.Az reports citing the Sky News.
Danylo Yavhusishyn, known in the ring as Aonishiki Arata, has become the first Ukrainian to win a top-tier sumo tournament.
He defeated Hoshoryu Tomokatsu, a top-ranked Mongolian wrestler.
Yavhusishyn left Ukraine as a teenager in 2022 after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of his country.
Speaking at a news conference last month, he said: “I hope that people from Ukraine will be able to see my sumo, and have some kind of encouragement from that.”
Yavhusishyn, 21, won the deciding match in the 15-day Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament in Fukuoka, southwestern Japan, on Sunday, and he received the Prime Minister’s Cup from Takahiro Inoue, an adviser to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
Yavhusishyn had decided to travel to Japan following the Russian invasion after striking up a friendship with a Japanese wrestler at a tournament in 2019.
News.Az
AloJapan.com