Akebono, sumo wrestling legend, dead at 54
TOKYO — Akebono Taro, a Hawaiian-born sumo wrestler and former yokozuna, has died. He was 54 years old. He was the first foreign-born sumo wrestler to reach the level of “yokozuna”, or grand champion, in Japan. “We regret to announce that Taro Akebono passed away due to heart failure while receiving treatment at a Tokyo […]
Pioneering Hawaiian-born sumo champion Akebono dies aged 54 | Japan
Akebono, the first foreign sumo wrestler to reach the top of the sumo world, has passed away at the age of 54, and condolences have been expressed in Japan. Born Chad Rowan in Hawaii, the wrestler is considered a pioneer in breaking cultural barriers and becoming the first foreign athlete to compete in the centuries-old […]