Wakanami Jun - Career

Career

He joined the Tatsunami stable in March 1957 and reached the top makuuchi division in May 1963. He was small, at just 178 cm and 103 kg, but he was very popular with sumo fans. In July 1964 he reached his highest rank of komusubi, which he was to hold on three occasions. He was runner-up to Kashiwado in the July 1967 tournament. In March 1968, ranked as a maegashira, he won the championship in the top division with a 13-2 record. Yokozuna Taihō and Sadanoyama were absent through injury, and he did not have to face anyone ranked higher than sekiwake during the tournament. He was promoted to komusubi for the following tournament but could manage only two wins there. He fought in the makuuchi division for 52 tournaments in total. He won four special prizes, two for fighting spirit and two for technique. He fell briefly to the juryo division in 1969 and won the second division championship, becoming the first wrestler to do this after winning the top division championship. He retired in March 1972.

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