A 21-year-old Ukrainian sumo wrestler, who fled his homeland amid Russia’s invasion, has achieved a stunning victory in one of Japan’s top sumo competitions, earning acclaim for his rapid ascent in the fiercely competitive sport.
Yavhusishyn Danylo, better known by his ring name Aonishiki, clinched the title at the November Grand Sumo Tournament on Sunday, defeating Mongolia-born Hoshoryu, a top-ranked opponent, in the final bout, NHK reported.
“It’s a feeling that words can’t express,” Aonishiki said after his win. “It felt like I was just letting my body do its thing, using my own strength. I’ve been diligently doing what my master told me, and it led to this result.”
The victory marks a meteoric rise in sumo for the young athlete, who has been navigating the sport’s deeply rooted rituals and traditions since arriving in Japan three years ago as war engulfed Ukraine.
Aonishiki began his journey in martial arts through wrestling and judo, popular disciplines in his native country, which has a rich history of Olympic medalists.
At age seven, he discovered sumo after observing athletes training at his judo facility, and quickly showed promise.
By 15, he earned third place at the junior world sumo championships in Japan, forming a friendship with Japanese wrestler Arata Yamanaka.
Everything changed in 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine. Wrestling facilities were destroyed, and athletes, including Aonishiki and his family, who relocated to Germany—were forced to flee.
“I thought it would be a shame to end my sports career there,” he said in a July NHK documentary about his journey. “I liked sumo, I felt I should try to compete in sumo somehow on the path I’d chosen.”
At 18, he arrived in Japan alone. His friend Yamanaka, then captain of Kansai University’s sumo club, offered him a place at his family home and arranged for him to train with the university team.
Aonishiki’s ring name means “blue,” reflecting one of the colors of the Ukrainian flag.
Adjusting to a new country and language, he quickly mastered Japanese and began defeating his university peers despite weighing only 140 kilograms (308 pounds), below the average for top-division sumo wrestlers. He later joined Tokyo’s Ajigawa stable to train and compete professionally.
By the time of Sunday’s tournament, Aonishiki had reached the rank of Sekiwake, the third-highest in sumo, after only 13 tournaments, a record pace in a sport where ranks can fluctuate based on performance.
Following his win, the national sumo governing body convened an extraordinary meeting to consider promoting him to Ozeki, the second-highest title, NHK reported.
But Aonishiki has his sights set even higher. “There’s one more rank above this, so I want to aim for that,” he said, determined to reach the pinnacle of Yokozuna.
