The winner of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament, No. 17 maegashira Tokushoryu, held a press conference at the Kise sumo stable in Sumida Ward, Tokyo, on Monday, a day after becoming the first lowest-ranked wrestler in the makuuchi division to lift an Emperor's Cup since 2000.
"It's like a dream. Even now, it's as if it's not me. I feel like I'm like floating on air," he said.
After beating ozeki Takakeisho in the final bout on Sunday, Tokushoryu said his emotions got the better of him: "[My feelings] all welled up at once. I think I cried a bit too much."
"I was too excited to even sleep," he added.
Tagonoura stable master Araiso, former yokozuna Kisenosato, apparently told Tokushoryu that it was the first time he had felt moved by the performance of a wrestler other than himself. "I was so happy [when I heard that]," Tokushoryu said.
The Spring Grand Sumo Tournament will be held in Osaka Prefecture near his hometown of Nara Prefecture.
"If I don't get a good result [in the next tournament], people will laugh. Now comes the important part."
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