Today is Wakamotoharu’s 27th birthday. Happy birthday, Wakamotoharu!
He was born in Fukushima, and belongs to Arashio stable.
For the record, the juryo rikishi is one of the Onami brothers – his real name is Onami Minato.
Last basho left me quite disappointed, as I wished him to break through makuuchi. After several years spent in makushita, Wakamotoharu finally reached the sekitori ranks, got relegated twice, and eventually looked to establish himself for good in sumo’s second highest division. He actually got his highest rank in Aki 2020, namely juryo 3. Unfortunately, he could not make it – for now – to the highest division, failing to reach makuuchi with a 6-9 make koshi.
Hopefully, he’ll do it in 2021!
I spoke about the Onami brothers – Wakamotoharu actually has one older brother, and one younger bro.
The oldest Onami brother is argubly the least known of the three, namely Wakatakamoto – Onami Wataru is his real name, and will turn 29 in December the 29th. The family’s oldest bro couldn’t reach the sekitori ranks, even if he came quite close in 2018: then ranked at his best, makushita 7, Wakatakamoto couldn’t follow with a kachi koshi, and ended up 2-5 instead. He is currently ranked makushita 22, from where he will slightly slide down the banzuke, following a 3-4 make koshi.
The youngest Onami brother is also the most successful one, and the most famous: Wakatakakage Atsushi!
Wakatakakage is notably known for his paradoxical makuuchi debut, back in November 2019. The youngest Onami brother was actually the only rikishi to compete in makuuchi and not to lose one single bout on the dohyo! Sadly, an injury prevented him from competing from day 5, and he ended 4-1-10 – after having won his four first bouts.
He showed glimpses of his talent during the first days, and it was clear it was not the only time we would see him causing headhaches in sumo’s first division. Indeed, he came back in makuuchi after two basho, and got back to back double digit wins: 10-5 in July, 11-4 in September! He’ll turn 26 also in December, the 6th.
But today’s attention is focused on the family’s second born child: once again, happy birthday, Onami Minato!
If Wakatakakage were blessed with the height, anatomy and proportions of his onisan, Wakamotoharu,, we would not be faulted to hope for and envisage a future yokozuna … certainly an ozeki … easy-peasy.
But the well-built and tall-enough ‘Motoharu is so frustrating to watch and follow, but impossible to cease pulling for!
Happy birthday Wakamotoharu–and may the next year be one in which juryo-rank is well behind you.
I do often get mixed up between the “pretty good” Waka bros ‘Motoharu and ‘Takamoto. Of course the “really good” brother ‘Takakage is now officially a star even though the prize committee don’t seem to realise this.
I and my younger, but larger, brother used to fight like Kilkenny cats, much to the despair of my mum (“I don’t care if he hit you first, you didn’t have to throw him through the window!”). I wonder what things were like in the Onami household.