Wa‘a wins sumo title

Hawaii's Harrington Wa'a threw over Japanese high school yokozuna Hiroyuki Isobe on his way to claiming the open weight category crown last night in the inaugural amateur sumo junior world championships at Tokyo.

Wa'a, 17, cranked Isobe over with a "sukuinage" arm-hook throw in the semifinals at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo and then stopped Nagoya junior high school champion Takayuki Ichihara for the championship.

"I'm even a bit surprised myself," Wa'a said after his victory prevented a Japanese sweep of all the titles at stake.

Asked about trying professional sumo in the future, Wa'a smiled and said "If have the chance."

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