Ryūkō Gō

隆濤剛
Ryūkō Gō
Personal information
BornLuis Gō Ikemori
(1968-05-26) May 26, 1968 (age 56)
São Paulo, Brazil
Height184 cm (6 ft 12 in)
Weight161 kg (355 lb; 25 st 5 lb)
Career
StableTamanoi
UniversityTakushoku University
Record167-150-26
DebutMay, 1992
Highest rankJūryō 8 (March, 1995)
RetiredJanuary, 1999

Ryūkō Gō (born 26 May 1968 as Luis Gō Ikemori) is a former sumo wrestler from São Paulo, Brazil.

Career

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As a youth, he did judo, turning to sumo at age 16. At age 18, he went to Japan and won an international tournament, and in 1990 competing for Takushoku University he became the first Brazilian to win the Japanese National Collegiate Sumo Championship.[1] He turned professional in May 1992, joining the Tamanoi stable. He was the first foreign wrestler ever to be granted makushita tsukedashi status, meaning that because of his amateur sumo achievements he could start at the bottom of the third highest makushita division. He reached elite sekitori status in March 1994 when he was promoted to the jūryō division. Ryūkō was his final shikona or fighting name – he was also known as Ikemori and Ryūdō. His highest rank was Jūryō 8, achieved in March 1995. He had Japanese parentage and adopted Japanese citizenship on 22 April 1996 (the same day as Akebono). Having fallen down the banzuke rankings, he retired in January 1999. He has remained in Japan, working for a Tokyo business.

Career record

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Ryūkō Gō[2]
Year January
Hatsu basho, Tokyo
March
Haru basho, Osaka
May
Natsu basho, Tokyo
July
Nagoya basho, Nagoya
September
Aki basho, Tokyo
November
Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka
1992 x x Makushita tsukedashi #60
5–2
 
West Makushita #38
5–2
 
West Makushita #22
3–4
 
West Makushita #29
3–4
 
1993 West Makushita #38
6–1
 
East Makushita #18
4–3
 
West Makushita #13
5–2
 
West Makushita #4
3–4
 
West Makushita #8
4–3
 
West Makushita #4
5–2
 
1994 East Makushita #1
4–3
 
West Jūryō #12
6–9
 
East Makushita #2
4–3
 
East Makushita #1
4–3
 
West Jūryō #13
5–10
 
West Makushita #4
5–2
 
1995 West Jūryō #13
10–5
 
West Jūryō #8
6–9
 
West Jūryō #11
8–7
 
West Jūryō #10
8–7
 
East Jūryō #10
1–2–12
 
West Makushita #8
Sat out due to injury
0–0–7
1996 West Makushita #8
3–4
 
East Makushita #16
2–5
 
West Makushita #34
5–2
 
West Makushita #19
3–4
 
West Makushita #28
4–3
 
West Makushita #21
4–3
 
1997 East Makushita #15
6–1
 
West Makushita #5
3–4
 
West Makushita #10
2–5
 
West Makushita #27
3–4
 
West Makushita #38
4–3
 
West Makushita #29
3–4
 
1998 East Makushita #39
4–3
 
West Makushita #28
3–4
 
West Makushita #39
3–4
 
West Makushita #50
3–4
 
West Sandanme #2
3–4
 
West Sandanme #15
5–2
 
1999 East Makushita #54
Retired
0–0–7
x x x x x
Record given as wins–losses–absences    Top division champion Top division runner-up Retired Lower divisions Non-participation

Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique     Also shown: =Kinboshi; P=Playoff(s)
Divisions: MakuuchiJūryōMakushitaSandanmeJonidanJonokuchi

Makuuchi ranks: YokozunaŌzekiSekiwakeKomusubiMaegashira

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Benson, Todd (27 January 2005). "Brazil's Japanese Preserve Sumo and Share It With Others". New York Times. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
  2. ^ "Ryuko Go Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 16 March 2016.