Press Release: Japanese Wrestling Legend fights against Sudanese Nuba Wrestlers
2014/11/16
On 14th November, the Japan-Sudan Friendly Wrestling Match took place at Haj Youssef Wrestling Ring in Khartoum State between a Japanese wrestler, Mr. Kosuke Sunagawa (Mr. SUNA), and Sudanese wrestler, Mr. Khamis Abushowk. The match was attended by H.E. Mr. Hideki Ito, Ambassador-designateof Japan to the Republic of the Sudan, Mr. Adam MudairAbdulsamad, Head of Khartoum Wrestling Federation, Mr. Tawir Amin Khalifa, Deputy Secretary of Sudanese Wrestling Federation, and a huge crowd of Sudanese people.
Mr. SUNA, 23 year-old, is the champion of All Japan Student Wrestling Competition in 2012, and received the 5th prize of the World Student Wrestling Championship in Hungary in 2014. He is currently visiting Sudan as a professional coach of the Olympic wrestling to train prominent Sudanese wrestlers at the Haj Youssef Wrestling Ring.
As Japan will host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020 and wrestling is one of the sports that will witness high competition among wrestlers from all around the world, Mr. SUNA’s visit comes as implementation of the initiative agreed among the former Ambassador of Japan to Sudan, Minister of Youth and Sport and Chairman of Sudan Olympic Committee in August 2014, concerning the promotion of Japan-Sudan sports exchange, especially through wrestling to realize the dream of Sudanese people; participation of Sudanese wrestlers into the Olympic Games of “Tokyo 2020”. Hence, the visiting wrestler, Mr. SUNA has started his training program to encourage 20 selected Sudanese wrestlers to gain skills in pursuit of “Tokyo 2020”.
Mr. SUNA is the second Japanese to bravely enter the Sudanese Nuba Wrestling Ring in Haj Youssef. In 2013, a Japanese diplomat, known as MURO, challenged the Sudanese Nuba wrestlers at Haj Youssef Wrestling Ring for six times generating great excitement among local audience. Muro’s matches were widely broadcasted by the foreign and local media, despite his continuous defeats against strong Sudanese Nuba wrestlers.
After a thrilling match with huge excitement, Mr. SUNA beat the Sudanese wrestler, Mr. Khamis Abushowk. At the end of the tough match, he said that “wrestling could further boost the already excellent relationship between Sudan and Japan. I am looking forward to help the Sudanese wrestlers who enjoy high calibers and physical strength to seize their dreams of participating “2020 Tokyo Olympic Games”.
Mr. SUNA, 23 year-old, is the champion of All Japan Student Wrestling Competition in 2012, and received the 5th prize of the World Student Wrestling Championship in Hungary in 2014. He is currently visiting Sudan as a professional coach of the Olympic wrestling to train prominent Sudanese wrestlers at the Haj Youssef Wrestling Ring.
As Japan will host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020 and wrestling is one of the sports that will witness high competition among wrestlers from all around the world, Mr. SUNA’s visit comes as implementation of the initiative agreed among the former Ambassador of Japan to Sudan, Minister of Youth and Sport and Chairman of Sudan Olympic Committee in August 2014, concerning the promotion of Japan-Sudan sports exchange, especially through wrestling to realize the dream of Sudanese people; participation of Sudanese wrestlers into the Olympic Games of “Tokyo 2020”. Hence, the visiting wrestler, Mr. SUNA has started his training program to encourage 20 selected Sudanese wrestlers to gain skills in pursuit of “Tokyo 2020”.
Mr. SUNA is the second Japanese to bravely enter the Sudanese Nuba Wrestling Ring in Haj Youssef. In 2013, a Japanese diplomat, known as MURO, challenged the Sudanese Nuba wrestlers at Haj Youssef Wrestling Ring for six times generating great excitement among local audience. Muro’s matches were widely broadcasted by the foreign and local media, despite his continuous defeats against strong Sudanese Nuba wrestlers.
After a thrilling match with huge excitement, Mr. SUNA beat the Sudanese wrestler, Mr. Khamis Abushowk. At the end of the tough match, he said that “wrestling could further boost the already excellent relationship between Sudan and Japan. I am looking forward to help the Sudanese wrestlers who enjoy high calibers and physical strength to seize their dreams of participating “2020 Tokyo Olympic Games”.
