Aotsurugi Kenta

Sumo wrestler infobox


wrestlername = Aotsurugi Kenta
realname = Tebita Rato Taufa
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1982|12|16
placeofbirth = Tonga
height = height|meters=1.83
weight = convert|126.5|kg|lb|abbr=on
heya = Tagonoura
rank = Sandanme 25
record = 143-116-35
debut = March, 2001
highestrank = Sandanme 24 (November, 2004)
yushos = 1 (Jonokuchi)
update = Sept 2008

Aotsurugi Kenta (born December 16, 1982 as Tebita Rato Taufa) is a professional sumo wrestler from Tongatapu, Tonga. In 2006, he obtained Japanese citizenship, adopting the official name of Tebita Togawa.

Career

He made his professional debut in March 2001, joining the small Tagonoura stable. His first "shikona" or fighting name was Hisanoumi. He reached his highest rank to date of "sandanme" 24 in the fourth highest division in November 2004, but injury meant he was not able to participate in any tournaments from November 2005 until September 2006. As a result, he fell off the "banzuke" (ranking list) completely in July 2006. He finally returned to the ring in November 2006 and fought three "maezumo" (pre-sumo) bouts - effectively beginning his career all over again from the very bottom. He won all three bouts and reappeared on the banzuke in January 2007, ranked at "jonokuchi" 29. He then took the "jonokuchi" championship with a 6-1 record. By May 2007 he had progressed to "jonidan" 20 where he turned in another fine 6-1 score. This earned him promotion back to "sandanme" for July. In his first tournament in "sandanme" since September 2005 he could manage only a 2-5 score. In the September 2007 tournament, despite missing his first bout, he went on to record five wins and just one loss.

At the end of 2007 he changed his "shikona" from Hisanoumi Taiyō to Aotsurugi Kenta. His score of 4-3 at Sandanme 25 in the September 2008 tournament means he will reach a new highest rank in November 2008.

ee also

*Glossary of sumo terms
*List of active sumo wrestlers

External links

* [http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/eng/ozumo_meikan/rikishi_joho/rikishi.php?A=2336 Japan Sumo Association Biography]