Takakeisho did sustain a muscle injury in his playoff defeat to Mitakeumi. It is significant enough to keep him out of jury duty *ahem* jungyo duty which is scheduled to kick off early next month in Ishikawa.
Endo will be the resident homeboy that weekend so I’m sure Takakeisho will appreciate the diverted attention. The tour will wind its way west toward Fukuoka without him. Seeing early reports, sumo fans had sudden flashbacks to Kisenosato and certainly hoped Takakeisho’s career would not similarly be in jeopardy. But as we learned from Herouth this morning, the wording of the diagnosis has been changed to a less severe tear or pull of his pectoral muscle.
Takakeisho’s style of sumo is very different from Kisenosato but nonetheless the pectoral muscle plays a vital role in his oshi-style. You can’t really get away from using your arms in sumo, can you? (Unless you’re a flying horse, then you use your wings.) Rather than yanking too hard on a mawashi, trying to lift a 400lb human, he seemed to suffer the injury while pushing against the surging Mitakeumi as a last ditch effort to power through the Sekiwake.
I think Takakeisho’s stablemaster seems to have a good head on his shoulders about this stuff. I’m not worried…yet…….
What’s the flying horse reference? (Other than Pegasus.)
Chiyoshouma = henka
Such a bummer to see an injury right as he made it back to ozeki. Hopefully if it is in fact a minor tear he can heal up and keep on rolling.
Thanks to you and Herouth for sharing this info. Fortunately, at age 23, he should be a fast healer.
At least he has 2 months extra buffer than he did after the knee injury.
Here is wishing Takakeisho a complete and speedy recovery!
Now that he is Ozeki again, Takakeisho can take the November Basho off and comeback at 100% for January. 8 wins in January is all he needs to stay at his well deserved rank.
The Great Sumo Cat strikes again. I understand cats, and I have realized how it works: during the bashos, he is not getting enough attention, so he randomly smacks a rikishi or several to the floor. He smacked poor Takakeisho hard.
Seriously though, I feel good about his oyakata’s judgment based upon recent guidance given, and hope he can guide Takakeisho through what has to be a gutwrenching disappointment.
On a whiny note, I hate the days immediately after a basho, especially ones as absorbing as this one. This incident just makes it worse. But the cup is half full, thanks to Herouth.
I think it might have happened when he attempted a pull down. I don’t think one can pull a muscle when pushing with it. Attempting a pull down was a bad idea, anyway.
That depends on which muscles are being flexed. Pushing and pulling use the pectoralis major. Just raising it involves flexion of the clavicular head while it extends the sternal head.
I was suspicious of the pulling move because it was so atypical for Takakeisho. He’s been pushing hard for 15 days, why should the muscle go this time? Unless having to fight twice so close together finally caught up with all the training he has missed. That would be a real shame.
I’m just gonna be optimistic about his injury. He’s still very young, he and his team have handled and treated his last severe injury extremely well and even if he goes Kadoban again, a (then) healthy Takakeisho will have no issues getting 8+ wins.
I still wish him a speedy recovery.
I hope I’m wrong but this looks pretty grim to me. Two different serious injuries in four months for a twenty-three year old cannot bode well for the future and you have to wonder if Takakeisho’s body is really up to carrying all that bulk.
Am I the only one thinking, “Do we have another glass cannon?”
Not sure if the muscle tear is reason for any special worry. I did sport all my life and one day suddenly tore a muscle dribbling down a basketball court, doing no special explosive move or anything, just completely out of nowhere. No problems after this. So not sure if this creates a predisposition to this kind of injuries. Sometimes you just aren’t lucky.
From your lips to the Great Sumo Cat of the Kokugikan’s ears.
These winner takes all bouts for the yusho have taken out Hakuho and Takakeisho this year. Fun to watch but career shortening no doubt.
Though I was excited by his powerful and masterful ozeki regaining performance, it appeared to me his upper body was not as fully toned as it had been before the first injury.