Injury-plagued yokozuna Kisenosato will not compete at the upcoming Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament, it was announced Thursday.
This is Kisenosato's eighth consecutive time missing all or part of a tournament, stretching back to last year's summer tournament. It's the longest such streak by a yokozuna since the present format of six tournaments a year was adopted in 1958. Kisenosato's absence will exceed Takanohana's streak of seven basho.
Kisenosato, 32, expressed his intention to put his rank on the line at the following autumn basho in September, saying, "I'm hoping to put everything into the next tournament." He has been sidelined by an injury to the left side of his chest.
For the upcoming Nagoya basho, Kisenosato had practiced with rival yokozuna Hakuho and was preparing to return to the dohyo ring, but he is apparently not back to his previous form.
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