Tomoefuji Toshihide (born 27 January 1971 as Toshihide Kurosawa) is a former sumo wrestler from Akita Prefecture, Japan. His highest rank was komusubi.

Career

Born in Kazuno, he was scouted by yokozuna Chiyonofuji after winning several children's sumo competitions in his native Akita Prefecture. In junior high school he was a rival of Wakanohana. He joined Chiyonofuji's Kokonoe stable and made his professional debut in May 1986. He made the sandanme division in November 1987 but then missed two tournaments and fell back to the lowest jonokuchi division. In July 1988 he won his first (and only) yusho or tournament championship in the jonidan division with a perfect 7–0 record. He reached the third highest makushita division a year later.

While in the makushita division he performed the yumitori-shiki or bow-twirling ceremony that takes place at the end of every tournament day, from 1989 to 1990. He reached sekitori status in July 1990 upon promotion to the jūryō division and in January 1991 made his debut in the makuuchi top division. He scored ten wins in his debut and was awarded the Fighting Spirit sansho or special prize. Tomoefuji seemed to have broken the jinx against performers of the yumitori-shiki ceremony having a successful career in sumo.

In May 1992 he became the only sekitori in his stable, following the retirements of Hokutoumi and Takanofuji. Just a year earlier the stable had had two yokozuna, Hokutoumi and Chiyonofuji. Tomoefuji's subsequent career was blighted by injuries. He was involved in a training accident with Akebono shortly before the July 1992 tournament, which led to Akebono having to miss his debut tournament as ozeki. Tomoefuji made his debut in the sanyaku ranks at komusubi in that tournament, but had to pull out on the second day. He never managed to return to the rank. Restricted by an injury to his right knee, in September 1993 he was demoted back to the jūryō division after a poor 4–11 record. He missed two tournaments in 1994, falling to the bottom of the division, and in May 1995 he lost sekitori status altogether after falling back to makushita. He fought his last competitive match in March 1998. He was still listed on the banzuke ranking sheets in September but had fallen to sandanme 85, the lowest rank ever recorded by a former sanyaku wrestler, upon which he announced his retirement from sumo. He left the Sumo Association upon retiring.

Fighting style

Tomoefuji's favourite techniques were hidari-yotsu, (a right hand outside, left hand inside grip on his opponents' mawashi) uwatenage, (overarm throw) and yorikiri (force out).

Career record

Tomoefuji Toshihide
YearJanuary Hatsu basho, TokyoMarch Haru basho, OsakaMay Natsu basho, TokyoJuly Nagoya basho, NagoyaSeptember Aki basho, TokyoNovember Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka
1986xx(Maezumo)East Jonokuchi #57 6–1West Jonidan #121 6–1West Jonidan #47 2–5
1987West Jonidan #72 5–2West Jonidan #31 2–2–3East Jonidan #66 2–5West Jonidan #93 6–1West Jonidan #25 5–2West Sandanme #91 1–6
1988West Jonidan #23 Sat out due to injury 0–0–7East Jonidan #94 Sat out due to injury 0–0–7West Jonokuchi #7 6–1West Jonidan #87 7–0–P ChampionEast Sandanme #80 4–3East Sandanme #57 5–2
1989East Sandanme #27 3–4East Sandanme #41 5–2West Sandanme #11 6–1East Makushita #39 6–1East Makushita #18 5–2West Makushita #8 2–5
1990West Makushita #21 5–2East Makushita #10 5–2East Makushita #5 6–1–PWest Jūryō #12 8–7East Jūryō #9 9–6East Jūryō #4 8–7
1991West Maegashira #15 10–5 FWest Maegashira #6 5–10West Maegashira #13 8–7West Maegashira #9 9–6East Maegashira #4 0–2–13East Maegashira #16 9–6
1992East Maegashira #12 8–7West Maegashira #6 9–6West Maegashira #1 8–7West Komusubi #2 0–2–13East Maegashira #13 9–6West Maegashira #6 10–5
1993East Maegashira #2 6–9West Maegashira #4 9–6West Maegashira #1 3–12East Maegashira #8 5–10West Maegashira #13 4–11West Jūryō #5 6–9
1994East Jūryō #8 7–8West Jūryō #9 8–7West Jūryō #7 9–6West Jūryō #3 10–5East Jūryō #1 0–3–12West Jūryō #12 Sat out due to injury 0–0–15
1995West Jūryō #12 11–4–PEast Jūryō #5 6–9West Jūryō #8 4–11West Makushita #1 1–6West Makushita #20 Sat out due to injury 0–0–7West Makushita #59 4–3
1996East Makushita #48 5–2West Makushita #28 4–3West Makushita #20 5–2West Makushita #10 5–2West Makushita #4 2–5East Makushita #13 5–2
1997East Makushita #5 3–4West Makushita #12 3–4West Makushita #19 4–3West Makushita #12 3–4West Makushita #19 5–2West Makushita #11 4–3
1998West Makushita #6 2–5East Makushita #21 1–6East Makushita #46 0–1–6West Sandanme #25 Sat out due to injury 0–0–7East Sandanme #85 Retired –x
Record given as wins–losses–absences Top division champion Top division runner-up Retired Lower divisions Non-participation Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique Also shown: ★=Kinboshi; P=Playoff(s) Divisions: Makuuchi — Jūryō — Makushita — Sandanme — Jonidan — Jonokuchi Makuuchi ranks: Yokozuna — Ōzeki — Sekiwake — Komusubi — Maegashira

See also

External links