Mongolia's wrestling thoroughbred Asashoryu, less than 12 months after winning the junior division makushita title, was promoted to sumo's fourth-highest rank of komusubi for the upcoming Summer Grand Sumo Tournament in Tokyo. The Japan Sumo Association on Wednesday released the rankings for the May 13-27 tourney at Ryogoku Kokugikan, leaving the upper ranks largely unchanged as Takanohana and Musashimaru remain one-two as yokozuna and Kaio aims for promotion as top-ranked ozeki.
And, for the first time since 1988, two ozeki -- Miyabiyama and Chiyotaikai -- face demotion from sumo's second-highest rank, both needing at least eight wins in the 15-day tourney to stave off relegation to sekiwake.
Wakamatsu stable star Asashoryu, however, grabs the spotlight as komusubi after going 9-6 as a No. 6 maegashira in the spring tourney in March and tying the record for the fastest rise to sumo's "sanyaku" ranks since the six-tourney system was instituted in 1958.