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Tamawashi Becomes the All-Time Leader in Consecutive Sumo Bouts

The 39-year-old Mongolian, who has won two Emperor's Cups, has not missed a bout since his debut in 2004. Tamawashi has appeared in 1,631 consecutive matches.

Published

7 days ago

September 10, 2024

Jim Armstrong

Wrestler Tamawashi holds gifts to commemorate his record-breaking 1,631st consecutive bout on September 10 at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo. (©SANKEI)

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Tamawashi is now sumo's official Ironman.

Mongolian-born wrestler Tamawashi set the record for consecutive bouts in grand sumo tournament history on Tuesday, September 10 with a push-out win against fellow rank-and-filer Kagayaki on Day 3 of the Autumn Basho.

Tamawashi came bursting out of the face-off and used a barrage of thrusts to the upper body to send the 11th-ranked Kagayaki out of the ring at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan. His win left both wrestlers with a 1-2 record.

It was the 1,631st consecutive bout for the Mongolian, surpassing the previous record of 1,630 held by former sekiwake Aobajo, who retired in 1986.

At 39, No 10 maegashira Tamawashi is the oldest wrestler in the makuuchi division. He has not missed a single bout since his debut in 2004. He will turn 40 in November.

The breaks he was forced to take during the COVID-19 pandemic did not count against his consecutive matches streak, according to the Japan Sumo Association.

Tamawashi Reflects on Fans' Support

"The reaction from the crowd made it seem like I won a championship," said Tamawashi, a two-time Emperor's Cup winner. "I was so moved by their hearty congratulations."

Tamawashi added, "Moving forward is always what I focus on. Without the support of the fans I never would have been able to achieve this. It's hard to say how long I will be able to continue, I'll just try to do my best."

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Author: Jim Armstrong

The author is a longtime journalist who has covered sports in Japan for over 25 years. You can find his articles on SportsLook.