- 14 Mar 2002
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Sumo fans in France celebrated the opening of an exhibition tournament in Paris on Saturday, the first grand sumo tour in the French capital in 31 years. Forty-one top-division wrestlers are taking part in the two-day event. Before the opening, around 80 people, including the wrestlers and Japan Sumo Association chairman Hakkaku, gathered outside the venue for a commemorative photograph.
Fans lined the area, waving towels bearing their favourite wrestlers' names, and greeted the participants with cheers. Once the tournament began, the arena quickly filled with excitement. The loudest reaction came in the final bout of the opening day, when ōzeki Kotozakura defeated fellow ōzeki Kirishima, drawing enthusiastic applause from the crowd.
It was good to see all the injured rikishi, like Hoshoryo, Onosato, and Aonishiki, back in the game.
english.kyodonews.net
All the bouts of Day 1 and Day 2:
Fans lined the area, waving towels bearing their favourite wrestlers' names, and greeted the participants with cheers. Once the tournament began, the arena quickly filled with excitement. The loudest reaction came in the final bout of the opening day, when ōzeki Kotozakura defeated fellow ōzeki Kirishima, drawing enthusiastic applause from the crowd.
It was good to see all the injured rikishi, like Hoshoryo, Onosato, and Aonishiki, back in the game.
Sumo: Wakamotoharu, Abi mingle with Paris schoolchildren before tournament
Sumo wrestlers Wakamotoharu and Abi visited a local elementary school and mingled with children in Paris on Friday, a day before the opening of a two-day exhibition tournament in the French capital.
All the bouts of Day 1 and Day 2:
