EBINA, Japan - Ozeki Aonishiki said Wednesday he is focused on training and rebuilding his strength as he seeks to win the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament next month, having fallen short in a winner-take-all championship bout at the recent Autumn meet.
"I have no choice but to train and become stronger," Aonishiki said during the Japan Sumo Association's regional tour stop in Ebina, Kanagawa Prefecture.
The 22-year-old Ukrainian star, who returned to the second-highest rank at the September tournament, endured a difficult start with three consecutive losses from Day 4. But he turned his campaign around after receiving encouragement from his stablemaster Ajigawa, the former sekiwake Aminishiki.
On the morning of Day 7, the stablemaster sent him a text message saying, "You're capable of much more than this." Inspired by the words, Aonishiki responded with eight straight victories through Day 14 to rejoin the title race.
Although he was denied the championship by yokozuna Onosato in the final-day showdown between co-leaders, Aonishiki took positives from the experience.
"It was good that I was able to stay in the championship race until the very end," he said.
Aonishiki is managing an injury to his left leg and limited himself to basic exercises such as "shiko" leg stomps during Wednesday's practice session.
The ozeki said his condition is better than it was during the summer regional tour in August and stressed the importance of continuing to build up his body ahead of the Kyushu tournament, opening Nov. 8 at Fukuoka Kokusai Center.
"I'll keep working on my physical conditioning," he said. "If my body feels good toward the end of the autumn tour, I may start doing training bouts as well."
