Terunofuji Pulls Out of Kyushu Tourney

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:26 JST, November 8, 2024

Yokozuna Terunofuji will sit out a second straight tournament after withdrawing Friday from the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament, two days before its start at the Fukuoka Kokusai Center.

Terunofuji’s name was left out of the pairings for the first two days of the Nov. 10-24 tournament announced Friday by the Japan Sumo Association.

The 32-year-old Mongolian, the lone yokozuna in the rankings, skipped the Autumn tournament in September due to a knee injury and the effects of diabetes.

Terunofuji participated in the regional tour in October, performing the ritual ring-entrance ceremony, but did not stay until the end and left midway through. From that point, he had been unable to properly train.

The injury-plagued yokozuna started the year off by winning the New Year tournament. After being forced to withdraw during the next two tournaments, he returned to capture his 10th career title at the Nagoya tournament in July.

In the end, the two tournaments that he won will be the only ones in which he competed this year over the full 15 days.

Topping the rankings in Fukuoka are three ozeki, including newly promoted Onosato, winner of the previous Autumn tournament.