JapanRealizing his son’s talent, Taisuke moved to Fukugawa, Tokyo, the famous birthplace of Sumo wrestlers, accepting “bet” on him.
With a weight of 85 kg, Kyuta Kumagai is twice as big as other children of the same age. The boy was so outstanding that he struggled and beat his opponent 5 to 6 years older than him. Last year, he was crowned champion of the sumo world championship in the under 10 group, after overcoming a series of rivals in Japan and the UK and Ukraine.
10-year-old Kyuta Kumagai practices on Dohyo, a traditional ring where sumo wrestling events are held, at the Sumo Komatsuryu Club in Tokyo, Japan, December 6, 2020. Image: Reuter.
To achieve this achievement, Mr. Taisuke, Kyuta’s father has built his son a training regime with the principle of “never stop”. The boy practices six days a week at local sumo clubs or lifts. Kyuta also swims, practicing track and field to get the flexibility and agility necessary for wrestling.
Kyuta has been competing since kindergarten. Taisuke himself registered his son. “I don’t teach him anything, he grows spontaneously. Kyuta is gifted with sumo. He won a prize in the competition so I think he has something special,” the father said.
Seeing his talented son, Taisuke moved the family to Fukugawa, Tokyo, a famous birthplace of sumo wrestlers. Fukugawa has countless Nominosukune clubs and shrines, which are believed to be inhabited by the god sumo.
The father and son often go to a temple to practice fighting. Training sessions usually end with a pairing match in front of the main shrine. The father pushed the child so hard that the child had difficulty breathing and burst into tears. He believes that is the way for boys to develop the best skills. “I think he is trying to make time for himself and still has time to play. I don’t think the practice is too much pressure,” the father said of how to teach his son.
10-year-old Kyuta Kumagai practices sumo with his father Taisuke, 50, during a private training session his father held at the Joshin-ji Buddhist temple in Tokyo, Japan, September 2, 2020. Photo : Reuters.
The training of Kyuta as a martial artist is very expensive, requires a great consensus from the whole family. “I don’t gamble. Instead, I’m betting everything on my son,” Taisuke said.
Like all sumos, the key to Kyuta’s success is her diet. On average, the boy consumes 2,700 to 4,000 calories a day, including a liter of milk and abundant protein. Steak is the child’s most favorite food.
Taisuke said that, two years from now, when he enters middle school, his son needs to gain another 20 kg. If that is the case, the father hopes his son will enter a high-end sumo “furnace”.
The boy’s current coach, former professional wrestler Shinichi Taira, thinks Kyuta has “great talent”. Kyuta wants to reach the level of “yokozuna” – the highest rank in the sport. “It’s fun to beat an opponent older than me,” Kyuta said. However, the boy inherits a very harsh training regime.
“In sumo practice, there is no concept of ‘enjoy’. When practicing hard, sometimes I think I should give up. But for now, the race towards the top is continuing, for both you and your father. “said the boy.
Intelligent Update (According to the Reuter)
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