Nagoya’s annual grand sumo tournament is famous for its sweltering summer atmosphere, with spectators furiously fanning themselves, and a slippery ring surface both hallmarks of the meet.
This July, however, most of the heat in Japan’s national sport is being generated 11,000 kilometers away in the U.S. state of Alabama.
The competition at the World Games — a quadrennial multi-sport event focused on non-Olympic disciplines — has dominated the sumo conversation over the past few days.