Meet Kyuta Kumagai, a 187-pound sumo wrestler and the world champion in the under-10 category. Talent from a young age: When Kumagai was still in kindergarten, his father Taisuke — who is a former amateur sumo wrestler — noticed his son's potential and entered him in a tournament.
- "There is a talent for sumo and he has that talent," Kumagai's father told Reuters. "He won the tournament. I thought he may have something special."
- After Kumagai won the tournament, his father moved their family to Tokyo's Fukagawa area, known for producing sumo wrestlers.
- The area is also home to the Nominosukune Shrine, where it is believed that the God of Sumo lives. Because of this, the Kumagais have received plenty of local support.
- Although he is still an elementary school student, Kumagai has already wrestled opponents five to six years older than him, according to Reuters.
Kumagai's training and diet: Kumagai trains for six days every week. His training includes lifting weights, swimming, and track and field.
- In addition to his extensive training, Kumagai eats between 2,700 to 4,000 calories every day, Gulf News reports.
- To be taken in by a prestigious sumo stable, Kumagai needs to gain 44 extra pounds before he starts middle school at the age of 12.