ERR News – Estonian-born sumo celebrity Baruto, or Kaido Höövelson, said that despite thinking in Japanese, he often misses the unceremonious life of an ordinary person, which he intends to reclaim at the family’s country cottage during the holidays.
Baruto said his celebrity status in Japan is not easy to bear. “I’d like to be an ordinary person – do my shopping, go about my business and go home quietly. But I can’t take another step without someone stopping me in the street,” he said on ETV.
As for his professional development, Baruto, who finished the Kyushu-basho tournament with 11 wins and four defeats, said he is working to improve his technique so he’d be tactically more prepared before matches. “The tactical plan needs to be there before the match. So far, my main knack has been to get a good grip, but now it’s time to go a bit beyond that,” he said. Currently deemed ozeki, the second position in the traditional sumo hierarchy, Baruto has set his sights firmly on attaining yokozuna.
Baruto said a sumo wrestler’s life is full of restrictions in Japan that sometimes can be difficult for a person with European origins to bear. As for diet, “eating is my job, it is part of the sport,” the wrestler said. However, strict limitations also apply to a sumotori’s diet. Coca-Cola and sugar, for example, are banned.
