A new star has emerged in the world of sumo, with Aonishiki winning the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament, becoming the first Ukrainian-born wrestler to do so, and clinching promotion to ozeki, sumo's second-highest rank. It is a remarkable achievement for the 21-year-old wrestler, bringing courage to his war-torn homeland.

His promotion to ozeki after just 14 tournaments since his debut is the fastest in history since the system of six tournaments per year was established in 1958, excluding the system that allows successful amateur wrestlers to start at a higher level.

Aonishiki claimed victory with a dramatic comeback in the final stages of the Kyushu tournament. After the 13th day of the 15-day tournament, he was one win behind the two yokozuna, or grand champions. From there, he advanced to a playoff on the final day, defeating both a yokozuna and ozeki with three straight wins to emerge victorious.

In all five tournaments since he entered the top division, he has achieved double-digit wins and earned special prizes. He has demonstrated the ability worthy of an ozeki.

The source of Aonishiki's strength is his powerful legs and hips, his wide array of techniques and his well-reasoned grappling techniques.

Standing 182 centimeters tall and weighing 140 kilograms, he is relatively lightweight for a wrestler in the top makuuchi division, but he is not easily pushed back when he clashes with big wrestlers. He has built his body without neglecting steady training such as leg stomps and sliding footwork.

When locked in battle on the sumo mound, he has often toppled his opponent with a move where the wrestler sweeps the inner thigh of one of his opponent's legs to destabilize him. His diverse techniques excite the crowd. Stablemaster Shibatayama, the former yokozuna Onokuni, praised him, saying, "He understands sumo, and his logical attacks shine."

Aonishiki's homeland, Ukraine, has a strong tradition in martial arts. Sumo spread there partly because the father of the prominent Showa-era (1926-1989) yokozuna Taiho was from what is now Ukraine. It is said that as a child, Aonishiki trained in wrestling and sumo and eventually dreamed of becoming a sumo wrestler.

A turning point in his life came in February 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine. He was unable to train sufficiently in Germany where he had evacuated, and so he took refuge at the residence of an acquaintance in Japan. Aspiring to enter the sumo world, he practiced at university facilities and also took up study at a Japanese language school.

His tournament win delighted his compatriots both in Japan and overseas. State media reported on the first achievement of its kind by a Ukrainian national in a news flash. A Ukrainian woman in her 20s who works at a restaurant in Tokyo commented that she was "encouraged" by Aonishiki's achievement.

At the ceremony promoting him to the rank of ozeki, Aonishiki stated, "I will strive diligently to aim even higher." His words reflect his honest, conscientious character. We hope he continues to inspire dreams and hope for the people of his homeland resisting the invasion.