Hakuho wins, Baruto to be promoted

Yokozuna Hakuho has won his 13th Emperor's Cup in emphatic fashion after finishing with a 15-0 record in the spring sumo basho.

Now the sole Yokozuna following the recent retirement of Asashoryu, Hakuho dominated the basho proving that he is still very much the man to beat. In the final bout he beat compatriot Harumafuji to close with a perfect record.

In other sumo news, Estonian Sekiwake Baruto, pictured right, is all but guaranteed promotion to sumo's second highest rank of Ozeki following an outstanding run of tournaments. The popular and cheerful wrestler will be only the second European to fight as an Ozeki, following Bulgarian Kotooshu.

Baruto, a former nightclub bouncer whose real name is Kaido Hoovelson, finished this basho with a 14-1 record, his only loss coming to Hakuho.

With Baruto's promotion, the top ranks of sumo are now dominated by non-Japanese wrestlers. There has been no Japanese Yokozuna since Takanohana retired in 2003 and the Japanese Ozeki are set to be outnumbered by foreign-born wrestlers 3-2.