Musashimaru Koyo
| Personal data | |
|---|---|
| real name | Fiamalu Penitani |
| Born | May 2nd 1971 |
| place of birth | Samoa |
| size | 1.92 m |
| Weight | 235 kg |
| Career | |
| Heya | Musashigawa |
| Career record | 779-294-115 |
| debut | September 1989 |
| Highest rank | Yokozuna (July 1999) |
| Tournament victories | 12 (Makuuchi) 1 each in Jūryō, Sandanme and Jonokuchi |
| resignation | November 2003 |
Musashimaru Kōyō ( Japanese 武 蔵 丸 光 洋 ; * May 2, 1971 in Samoa ), actually Fiamalu Penitani , is the second foreigner who ever reached the rank of yokozuna in Japanese sumo wrestling .
Young Penitani arrived in Hawaii at the age of 10 , where he was so successful as a Greco-Roman style wrestler in high school that he considered a professional career. He went to Japan, adopted a Japanese name, and began wrestling sumo in 1989. In 1991 he became a professional athlete in the wrestling stable Musashigawa-beya of the former yokozuna Mienoumi . In 1996 he became a Japanese citizen.
Musashimaru's fighting weight of 223 kg and finally 230 kg, combined with his body length of 191 cm, which is particularly outstanding for Japanese standards, made him a feared opponent. Musashimaru's resemblance to the samurai and admired as a hero warrior Saigō Takamori did the rest to increase the number of his fans. Musashimaru quickly rose in the hierarchy of sumo and set a record with 52 consecutive tournaments with kachi-koshi (more wins than losses). In 1999, Musashimaru became the second non-Japanese ever to be named 67th yokozuna. The Hawaiian Akebono was the first non-Japanese to receive this award in 1993, making history.
In the course of his career, Musashimaru won a total of twelve top division championship titles (and thus one more than Akebono). With over 700 won fights, he is one of the five fighters with the most victories.
In November 2003, Musashimaru announced his resignation due to a chronic injury to his left wrist. On October 2, 2004, he officially ended his career. He has since worked as a trainer in Musashigawa-beya. Shortly before the expiry of his special permission to continue his previous wrestling name as an oyakatitel, he borrowed the Furiwake share, which was the property of the then still active wrestler Takamisakari , so that he could continue to belong to the sumo association. From October 2009 he held the name Furiwake, then from August 2012 the name Oshima, until he finally took the famous name Musashigawa from his former stable master in February 2013, under which he again opened a heya. The former Musashigawa-beya was renamed to Fujishima-beya in 2010 when it was taken over by Musōyama .
Musashimaru Kōyō and his Sumō colleagues Akebono Tarō and Konishiki Yasokichi are sung about in Israel Kamakawiwoʻole's song Tengoku Kara Kaminari (Gentle Giants) ("Thunder from Heaven (Gentle Giants)").
Fighting style
Musashimaru initially fought more often with punching and thrusting techniques such as oshi-dashi and tsuki-dashi. Over time he has also become an accomplished practitioner of Yotsu Sumo and was able to apply both directions equally.
Combat Statistics
| year | Hatsu (January) | Haru (March) | Natsu (May) | Nagoya (July) | Aki (September) | Kyushu (November) | Weight / loss | average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | - | - | - | - | (Maezumo) | Jonokuchi 41 West 7-0 Jonokuchi Yusho (1) |
7-0 | 100% |
| 1990 | Jonidan 56 East 6-1 |
Sandanme 94 West 6-1 |
Sandanme 40 East 7-0 Sandanme Yusho (1) |
Makushita 25 East 5-2 |
Makushita 11 West 2-5 |
Makushita 24 West 6-1 |
32-10 | 76.2% |
| 1991 | Makushita 9 East 4-3 |
Makushita 4 West 4-3 |
Makushita 1 East 5-2 |
Juryo 11 East 11-4 Juryo Yusho (1) |
Juryo 3 East 10-5 |
Maegashira 12 East 11-4 Kanto-sho (1) |
41-18 | 69.4% |
| 1992 | Maegashira 3 East 9-6 |
Maegashira 1 West 9-6 |
Komusubi 2 West 8-7 |
Komusubi 1 East 11-4 Gino-sho (1) |
Sekiwake 1 West 10-5 |
Sekiwake 1 East 9-6 |
56-34 | 62.2% |
| 1993 | Sekiwake 2 East 10-5 |
Sekiwake 1 East 10-5 |
Sekiwake 1 East 9-6 |
Sekiwake 1 West 8-7 |
Sekiwake 1 East 8-7 |
Sekiwake 2 West 13-2 Shukun-sho (1) |
58-32 | 64.4% |
| 1994 | Sekiwake 1 East 12-3 Gino-sho (2) |
Ozeki 2 West 9-6 |
Ozeki 2 East 12-3 |
Ozeki 1 West 15-0 Yusho (1) |
Ozeki 1 East 11-4 |
Ozeki 2 West 12-3 |
71-19 | 78.8% |
| 1995 | Ozeki 1 West 13-2 |
Ozeki 1 East 12-3 |
Ozeki 1 East 12-3 |
Ozeki 1 East 12-3 |
Ozeki 1 East 10-5 |
Ozeki 1 East 10-5 |
69-21 | 76.6% |
| 1996 | Ozeki 1 West 9-6 |
Ozeki 1 West 9-6 |
Ozeki 2 East 9-6 |
Ozeki 2 East 10-5 |
Ozeki 2 East 11-4 |
Ozeki 1 West 11-4 Yusho (2) |
59-31 | 65.5% |
| 1997 | Ozeki 1 West 12-3 |
Ozeki 1 West 12-3 |
Ozeki 1 East 9-6 |
Ozeki 1 West 10-5 |
Ozeki 1 East 13-2 |
Ozeki 1 East 12-3 |
68-22 | 75.5% |
| 1998 | Ozeki 1 West 12-3 Yusho (3) |
Ozeki 1 East 8-7 |
Ozeki 1 West 10-5 |
Ozeki 1 West 12-3 |
Ozeki 1 East 11-4 |
Ozeki 1 East 11-4 |
64-26 | 71.1% |
| 1999 | Ozeki 1 East 8-7 |
Ozeki 1 East 13-2 Yusho (4) |
Ozeki 1 East 13-2 Yusho (5) |
Yokozuna 1 west 12-3 |
Yokozuna 1 West 12-3 Yusho (6) |
Yokozuna 1 East 12-3 Yusho (7) |
70-20 | 77.7% |
| 2000 | Yokozuna 1 East 2-2-11 |
Yokozuna 2 East 11-4 |
- | Yokozuna 2 East 10-5 |
Yokozuna 1 West 14-1 Yusho (8) |
Yokozuna East 11-4 |
48-16-11 | 75.0% |
| 2001 | Yokozuna West 14-1 |
Yokozuna West 12-3 |
Yokozuna West 13-2 |
Yokozuna West 12-3 |
Yokozuna East 9-6 |
Yokozuna East 13-2 Yusho (9) |
73-17 | 81.1% |
| 2002 | Yokozuna East 1-3-11 |
Yokozuna East 13-2 Yusho (10) |
Yokozuna East 13-2 Yusho (11) |
Yokozuna East, 10-5 | Yokozuna East 13-2 Yusho (12) |
Yokozuna East 4-2-9 |
54-36 | 60.0% |
| 2003 | - | - | - | Yokozuna West 2-4-9 |
- | Yokozuna West 3-5- (Injured) retirement |
5-9-9 | 35.7% |
Updated February 2013.
Web links
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Musashimaru, Koyo |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | 武 蔵 丸 光 洋 (Japanese); Fiamalu Penitani |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Japanese sumo wrestler and 67th yokozuna |
| DATE OF BIRTH | May 2nd 1971 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | American Samoa |