Sumo Wrestler Akebono Dies What Happened to Akebono?
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Updated Apr 11, 2024
Sumo Wrestler Akebono Dies
The sumo wrestler Akebono passed away at age 54 due to heart failure. He was the first foreigner to win a grand champion tournament in Japan. The sumo champion won numerous tournaments and became well-known. The sumo sumo champion Akebono began his career in Japan when he was a child.
He moved to Tokyo at a young age to train and became a sumo sumo fighter. In 1993, Akebono won his first major tournament. He went on to win many more major tournaments and became a grand champion multiple times.
Who Was Akebono?
Akebono was a famous wrestler from Hawaii. He started wrestling in Japan when he was young and won many championships and became the first non-Japanese wrestler to reach the top rank called "yokozuna." After he stopped wrestling, he became a coach and later tried other types of fighting. People still remember him as one of the best wrestlers ever.
| Name | Akebono Taro |
| Birth Name | Chadwick Haheo Rowan |
| Birthdate | May 8, 1969 |
| Birthplace | Waimānalo, Hawaii, U.S. |
| Date of Death | April 11, 2024 |
Age
Akebono was born on May 8, 1969, in Waimanalo, Hawaii. At the age of 54 year, he passed away on April 11, 2024, in Tokyo, Japan. Akebono was known for being a very big and strong wrestler.
Career
| Starting Career | Interested in sumo from television broadcasts |
| Introduced to Azumazeki Oyakata | |
| Professional debut in March 1988 | |
| Won prize for Fighting Spirit in November 1990, first gold star in January 1991 | |
| Won first match between two non-Japanese wrestlers in top division in March 1991 | |
| Yokozuna Era | Held rank of yokozuna for nearly eight years |
| Won top division championship on eight occasions | |
| Won top division championship in three consecutive tournaments in 1993 | |
| Notable wins against rivals Takanohana and Wakanohana | |
| Represented Japan in the opening ceremony of the 1998 Winter Olympics | |
| Retirement and Coaching | Retired in January 2001 due to injuries |
| Became a coach in Japan Sumo Association | |
| Trained wrestler Asashōryū, instructed on yokozuna ring-entering ceremony |
Height and Weight
Akebono was standing at 203 centimeters (6 feet 8 inches) tall and weight at 233 kilograms (514 pounds). Akebono was able to be very powerful when he competed in sumo wrestling and other sports.
Wife
Akebono Taro is a famous sumo wrestler had a wife named Christiane Reiko Kalina. Christiane was born on a US military base in Japan and later went to Indiana State University. She worked in administration at the University of Maryland campus on the Yokota Air Base. Akebono and Christiane got engaged in February 1998 and they have been married for over twenty years. They have three children together two sons and a daughter.
