Ukrainian sumo wrestler Aonishiki became the first from his country to win a top-level sumo championship. He defeated Hoshoryu on Sunday in the final match of the Kyushu tournament in western Japan.
Hoshoryu, born in Mongolia, ranks among the top wrestlers in Japan’s national sport. Another top competitor is Japan-born Onosato. Aonishiki, born Danilo Yavhushyshyn, left Ukraine over three and a half years ago after Russia launched a full-scale invasion. At only 21, he has risen rapidly in the sumo ranks, competing under the ring name Aonishiki Arata.
Non-Japanese Champions Rise in Sumo
Non-Japanese wrestlers have excelled in different eras in Japan, including Mongolians, Hawaiians, and now a Ukrainian. Aonishiki credited his move to Japan to a friendship formed with a Japanese wrestler during a 2019 tournament. He trained hard and quickly adapted to the demanding world of professional sumo.
Ukraine’s Wrestling Legacy Continues
Ukraine maintains a strong Olympic wrestling tradition. Its most recent gold-medal winner was Zhan Beleniuk in Greco-Roman wrestling at the Tokyo Games, which were delayed until 2021 by the pandemic. Aonishiki now adds a new milestone to that legacy, proving Ukrainian athletes can achieve historic success in international sumo.
