Having waited years to reach sumo's pinnacle, Kisenosato enters the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament looking for his second championship as yokozuna and his third in a row.
The 30-year-old enters the May 14-28 tournament at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan holding the top east slot among the four-man yokozuna corps. It is the first time for a Japanese wrestler to enter a grand tournament in pole position since 2001 when then-yokozuna Takanohana was named to the top east post for the Nagoya tourney.
"I'm not straining or rushing myself, but just thinking about what to do with the May tourney in mind. I hope to do well there," said Kisenosato, who is recovering from injuries to his left upper arm and chest muscles suffered late in the previous meet in March.