Ukrainian Refugee Danylo Yavhusishyn Wows Japan To Win His Country’s First Elite Sumo Title

Danylo Yavhusishyn has go nan first Ukrainian to triumph a sumo tourney successful Japan.

The 21-year-old, who fled nan warfare successful Ukraine 3 years ago, won nan Kyushu tourney aft a tie-breaking triumph complete expansive champion Hoshoryu from Mongolia.

Yavhusishyn, whose ringing sanction is Aonishiki Arata, addressed fans successful fluent Japanese aft his victory. He told fans astatine Fukuoka Kokusai Center that he was gladsome that he was capable to compete to nan champion of his abilities.

“I americium happy that I americium capable to execute a extremity of mine,” he said of his victory, which was besides televised.

Yavhusishyn, who arrived successful Japan 3 years agone aft fleeing Ukraine, has climbed nan sumo ranks astatine grounds speed. The Japan Sumo Association will soon clasp a typical gathering to beforehand him to “ozeki”, nan 2nd highest ranking nether “yokozuna”, aliases expansive champion, nationalist broadcaster NHK said.

He competed successful nan world inferior sumo championships arsenic a teen but near Ukraine aft Russia’s February 2022 invasion. Yavhusishyn, who is listed astatine 6ft gangly and 310lbs, arrived successful Japan 2 months later and made a blistering commencement to his career, reaching sumo’s precocious divisions successful only a twelvemonth and winning promotion to nan fourth-highest rank.

Yavhusishyn was calved successful Vinnytsia successful cardinal Ukraine and took up sumo astatine nan property of seven, becoming a nationalist champion erstwhile he was 17. His property meant he narrowly avoided Ukraine’s subject draught for men aged 18 and older erstwhile warfare collapsed retired and he sought refuge successful Germany earlier moving to Japan. His parents stayed successful Germany and he arrived successful Japan knowing thing of nan language. He initially lived and trained pinch a Japanese sumo wrestler, Arata Yamanaka, who he made friends pinch astatine nan world inferior sumo championships.

Danylo Yavhusishyn poses pinch his trophy aft his victory. Photograph: JIJI PRESS/AFP/Getty Images

“I only met him erstwhile successful personification and he welcomed me, moreover though I couldn’t speak a connection of Japanese,” Yavhusishyn said successful 2024. “I was amazed erstwhile he said OK. If it were nan different measurement around, I would person refused.”

Yavhusishyn became nan 2nd Ukraine-born master sumo wrestler erstwhile he made his debut successful July 2023, pursuing successful nan footsteps of compatriot Serhii Sokolovskyi, amended known arsenic Shishi.

Yavhusishyn’s promotion to sumo’s precocious divisions is nan fifth-fastest since nan existent strategy of six tournaments a twelvemonth was introduced successful 1958. His parents person since come to sojourn their boy successful his caller home.

He said he now has his sights connected reaching nan apical of nan sumo hierarchy. “I americium happy [now] but location is 1 higher status. I want to activity toward that,” he said.