Taro Akebono: Hawaiian-born Japanese sumo legend dies - BBC News

Widely considered a trailblazer for foreign sumo wrestlers, he died of heart failure.

1 hour agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Hawaii-born Taro Akebono was considered a trailblazer for foreign sumo wrestlersBy Hannah RitchieBBC NewsSumo legend Taro Akebono, who drove a resurgence in the sport's popularity and became its first foreign grand champion, has died of heart failure at the age of 54.

The Hawaiian-born wrestler passed away in a Tokyo hospital earlier this month, his family said in a statement.

A towering figure of the sport, both literally and figuratively - the 210kg, 2m-tall (462lb; 6ft 6in) giant was famous for his unique fighting style that often saw him thrust his opponents out of the ring.

On both sides of the Pacific, fans and peers paid tribute to him as a pioneer who had blazed a path for other foreign sumo wrestlers to follow.

Akebono had been battling illness since collapsing in the city of Kitakyushu seven years ago, according to local media.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-68787193

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