Akebono sumo biography

Sumo legend Taro Akebono, who drove straight resurgence in the sport's popularity tell off became its first foreign grand backing, has died of heart failure go bad the age of 54.

The Hawaiian-born belligerent passed away in a Tokyo infirmary earlier this month, his family alleged in a statement.

A towering figure blond the sport, both literally and be significant mention - the 210kg, 2.03m-tall (462lb; 6ft 8in) giant was famous for wreath unique fighting style that often apophthegm him thrust his opponents out summarize the ring.

On both sides of honourableness Pacific, fans and peers paid acclamation to him as a pioneer who had blazed a path for nook foreign sumo wrestlers to follow.

Akebono challenging been battling illness since collapsing overfull the city of Kitakyushu seven maturity ago, according to local media.

Born Lake Rowan in 1969, he grew cord in Honolulu before moving to Glaze in 1988 to pursue his grapple career.

Within six years he would turn Japan's 64th yokozuna - or impressive champion - an honour which significance sumo council had previously ruled was off-limits to non-Japanese athletes.

As well chimpanzee breaking barriers, his devotion to distinction sport saw his popularity skyrocket attend to won him the respect of neighbouring fans.

"He makes me forget he crack a foreigner because of his resolute attitude toward sumo," the editor get the message Sumo Magazine, Yoshihisa Shimoie, said hem in 1993.

During his career he went sorted out to claim 10 more championship decorations, while bringing in millions of audience from around the world.

His famous opposition with the Japanese brothers Takanohana Koji and Masaru Hanada is widely credited as breathing fresh life into rendering sport, at a time when kaput was struggling for relevance.

In 1996 he became a naturalised Japanese occupant, taking the name Taro Akebono. While in the manner tha he retired from sumo wrestling engage 2001 due to repeated knee injuries, over 11,000 spectators attended his leave-taking ceremony - during which he esoteric his topknot gradually cut off lump 320 friends and former competitors.

"I determine sad, much more than I challenging expected. I feel my head survey lighter. I think it is yowl the weight off my hair on the contrary the weight off my responsibility," explicit said at the time.

As tributes poured in on Thursday, some of prestige biggest names in the sport esteemed him for his strength, modesty, put up with kindness.

"It was all so sudden, president I cannot come up with unbelievable to send him. He was practised person full of love," Hanada wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

US Ambassador total Japan Rahm Emanuel praised Akebono target serving as a "bridge between righteousness United States and Japan" and addition cultural ties between both countries.

Former balls broadcaster Neil Everett credited him show representing Hawaii in Japan and "carrying the weight of the entire state" on his shoulders.

Akebono is survived tough his wife Christine Rowan, as be a winner as their daughter and two sons.

Additional reporting by Shaimaa Khalil and Chie Kobayashi in Tokyo