Hawaii’s Fiamalu Penitani
formally promoted
to yokozuna

Sumo's ruling board promotes
Hawaii's second Yokozuna
to the exalted rank

By Pete Pichaske
Phillips News service

TOKYO, May 26 (Kyodo) - The Japan Sumo Association formally decided today to promote ozeki Musashimaru, the winner of the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament, to sumo's highest rank of yokozuna.

Officials said JSA executives made the decision at a meeting to discuss the rankings for the Nagoya tournament in July.

The JSA's formal approval of Musashimaru's promotion followed a recommendation made yesterday by the Yokozuna Deliberation Council, an advisory body to the JSA.

Musashimaru, Waianae's Fiamalu Penitani, assured himself of the promotion to become the 67th yokozuna, or grand champion, of Japan's ages-old sport after winning his second straight championship by beating yokozuna Akebono, Waimanalo's Chad Rowan, in the Tokyo tourney finale Sunday to finish the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament with a 13-2 win-loss record.

Musashimaru, 28, is the second Hawaii-born yokozuna, after Akebono, who has occupied the top rank since the March tourney in 1993.

Musashimaru's triumphs at the Osaka spring meet in March and this time out in Tokyo match a council requirement that yokozuna candidates win two straight tournaments as ozeki.

Musashimaru joins Akebono, Wakanohana and Wakanohana's younger brother Takanohana as yokozuna in Nagoya in July, making it the first grand sumo tournament in eight years to feature four grand champions.

It took Musashimaru 59 tournaments since his professional debut in September 1989 to attain the yokozuna rank.