TOKYO (AP) — Ukrainian sumo wrestler Aonishiki has become the first from his country to win an elite-level sumo championship.
Even more impressive: he defeated Hoshoryu on Sunday in the deciding match in the Kyushu tournament in western Japan.
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Ukrainian Aonishiki, right, waves during a parade after winning the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament in Fukuoka, western Japan, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025. (Kyodo News via AP)
Ukrainian Aonishiki, right, reacts after defeating yokozuna Hoshoryu to win the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament in Fukuoka, western Japan, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025. (Kyodo News via AP)
Ukrainian Aonishiki, left, receives the championship trophy after winning the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament in Fukuoka, western Japan, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025. (Kyodo News via AP)
Ukrainian Aonishiki, left, fights with Kotozakura at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament in Fukuoka, western Japan, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025. (Kyodo News via AP)
Ukrainian Aonishiki, left, receives a trophy after winning the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament in Fukuoka, western Japan, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025. (Kyodo News via AP)
Hoshoryu was born in Mongolia and is one of the top-ranked wrestlers in Japan's national sport. The other is Japan-born Onosato.
Born Danilo Yavhushyshyn, he left Ukraine more than 3 1/2 years ago just after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of his country. He is only 21, has risen very quickly and wrestles under the ring name of Aonishiki Arata.
Non-Japanese sumo wrestlers have excelled in different periods in Japan. They have included Mongolians, Hawaiians and now a Ukrainian.
Aonishiki said he came to Japan after striking up a friendship with a Japanese wrestler at a tournament in 2019.
Ukraine has a very strong tradition in Olympic wrestling. Its last gold-medal winner was Zhan Beleniuk in the Greco-Roman category at the Tokyo Games, which were delayed until 2021 by the pandemic.
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Ukrainian Aonishiki, right, waves during a parade after winning the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament in Fukuoka, western Japan, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025. (Kyodo News via AP)
Ukrainian Aonishiki, right, reacts after defeating yokozuna Hoshoryu to win the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament in Fukuoka, western Japan, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025. (Kyodo News via AP)
Ukrainian Aonishiki, left, receives the championship trophy after winning the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament in Fukuoka, western Japan, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025. (Kyodo News via AP)
Ukrainian Aonishiki, left, fights with Kotozakura at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament in Fukuoka, western Japan, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025. (Kyodo News via AP)
Ukrainian Aonishiki, left, receives a trophy after winning the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament in Fukuoka, western Japan, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025. (Kyodo News via AP)
