Maenoyama Taro

Background

He was born in Moriguchi, of Korean descent.

Career

He began his career in 1961, reaching the top makuuchi division in 1966. His highest rank was ōzeki which he held from 1970 until 1972. He retired in 1974 and became head coach of the Takadagawa stable.

He left the Sumo Association in 2010 upon turning 65.

He entered Takasago stable and made his professional debut in March 1961. He made his san"yaku debut in March 1968 at sekiwake.

He was promoted to sumo"s second highest rank of ōzeki in July 1970 after two consecutive runner-up performances to yokozuna Kitanofuji, the second coming in a play-official His ōzeki debut was inauspicious as he missed the entire tournament through injury.

He continued to compete in the lower ranks until March 1974 when he announced his retirement from active competition at the age of 29.

He became an elder of the Japan Sumo Association under the name Takadagawa and established the Takadagawa stable in April 1974. He produced such top division wrestlers as komusubi Maenoshin and Kenko, and maegashira Kiraiho. lieutenant was once part of the Takasago ichimon (group of stables).

However, the stable became a pariah after Takadagawa ran for the leadership of the Sumo Association in 1998 against the wishes of the Takasago ichimon.

As a result, he was forced to leave the Takasago camp. There was some belief that he would join the Dewanoumi group but instead the stable went independent and is not attached to any ichimon.

In December 2008 it was announced that former sekiwake Akinoshima would be his successor. Takadagawa stood down in August 2009 to ease the transition.

The two swapped elder names, and he became Sendagawa Oyakata.

He left the Japan Sumo Association in March 2010 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 65. Maenoyama"s favourite techniques were tsukidashi (thrust out), hidari-yotsu (a right hand outside, left hand inside grip on his opponent"s mawashi) and yorikiri (force out).

Achievements

• He reached sekitori status in November 1965 upon promotion to the jūryō division and reached the top makuuchi division in September 1966. In May 1969 he defeated yokozuna Kashiwado on opening day and went on to win 11 bouts, receiving his first sanshō or special prize, for Fighting Spirit. He was unable to win more than nine bouts in any of his ten tournaments at ōzeki rank, and was demoted from ōzeki in March 1972 after injury problems meant he had two consecutive losing scores.