As expected, Chiyonokuni has gone kyujo following the knee injury he sustained during his Day 10 match with Ikioi. He has been prescribed two weeks rest and treatment for left knee ligament damage. This is a very disappointing turn of events, as Chiyonokuni was having his best tournament since his fantastic 12-3 performance last May. However, with 8 wins Chiyonokuni has secured his position for the Haru Basho and won’t have to worry about how far he’ll drop down the rankings. Chiyonokuni’s Day 11 opponent Abi will pick up a fusen win.
[Update] Down in Juryo, Takanosho has bowed out of the Hatsu Basho for a second time due to a nagging knee injury he sustained on Day 2. He has submitted a medical form to the NSK for one month of treatment due to a right anterior cruciate ligament injury.
[Update] Completing the trio of Day 10 victims is Kotoyuki, who has also gone kyujo. According to his medical form, Kotoyuki is suffering from a right femor contusion and right leg joint lateral ligament damage. His Day 11 opponent Daieisho will get a much-needed walkover win.
We at Tachiai hope Chiyonokuni, Takanosho, and Kotoyuki make full recoveries.
Two weeks is a very short time for ligament damage.
I agree.
I hope that’s, “2 weeks and we’ll look again and see how it’s healing,” and that he and his stablemaster don’t hear, “2 weeks and you’ll be good as new!”
How many innocent knees must suffer before the Hatsu Basho is satisfied!!
Is it just me, or has this basho that an unusually high injury rate?
It’s definitely not just you.
I feel so bad for him – I really like Chiyonokuni and he was doing so well. Twisting his knee that way looked bad enough, and then Ryuden landed on top of him. Nothing against Ryuden but he seems to be around for a lot of injuries of my favorites. (Hokutofuji concussion….)
Best wishes and heal up, Chiyonokuni!
It was Ikioi, not Ryuden. At least it wasn’t Ichinojo :-D
Yeah, thanks, my error, I just realized that. A different tall rikishi in black.
Indeed glad it wasn’t Ichinojo! As for Ikioi I just hope his eye is okay.
Kotoyuki is also out.
It was only a matter of time unfortunately.
For Kotoyuki, this probably means a return to Juryo.
Gonna be interesting…I think he might just be saved by the extra slots created by Kise/Takanoiwa…I see Daishomaru and Daimami going down…that creates four promotion slots…taken by Terutsuyoshi, Ishiura and Toyonoshima…whos the fourth candidate right now? Right now nobody else is stellar J1-7…and Kotoyuki going down needs a 5th promotable candidate (which I just don’t see as of now) 4-11 might just be enough for him to stick around.
Shimanoumi stumbled yesterday, but I think a yusho with 12+ wins would seal the deal for him. Not that unlikely for his current performance. I also expect Chiyomaru to reach double digits and return to Juryo.
No J11 has ever been promoted to Makuuchi with 12 wins. It’s always J1-J3. He’d need 13 based on historical precedent.
If the J1 instance had 2 pertinent retirements, then I would agree. If not, we could expect him to go a full rank higher with Kisenosato and Takanoiwa intai.
I agree with Savaros. If there are a bunch of terrible records in the top division at the end of the basho, and that’s likely, it wouldn’t surprise me if Shimanoumi gets a big leap and jumps up to the top if he gets 11 or 12 wins.
As responded to Savaros. No J11 has ever been promoted to the first division with 12 wins from J11. He’d need 13.
The next promotion candidates (in order) are Chiyomaru, Daishoho, Shimanoumi, Tomokaze, Tokushoryu. Two wins might do it for Chiyomaru, while the others probably need three (definitely for Daishoho). At the moment, Kagayaki is ahead of Kotoyuki in the demotion queue, but one victory in four days would reverse this. Will be interesting, as you say, especially given the strong recent preference of the shimpan department to keep marginal top-division guys.
This was the worst basho day I’ve followed so far – mostly bad news: poor Ura, kuni, Kotoeko – I wish them all the best for their healing. Now Hakuho still undefeated an no other chaser than Tamawashi – couldn’t be worse. I desperately hope of Mitakeumi winning
omg, Kotoyuki I meant
Hatsu? (which means beginning), they should call it Shuen (the Japanese word for ending/demise)…ba dum chah!
They need to dig up the stuff they buried, burn it, and bury new stuff. This dohyo needs an exorcism.
In the kintamayama Day 11, English version, there is a comment that Chiyonokuni will undergo surgery.
I saw the same information of the NattoSumo video. They also said that he was not expected to return for Haru. I hope he takes the time he needs for recovery.