GUWAHATI, Feb 12 � Making it a first time ever in India, the Industries and Trade Fair Association of Assam (ITFAA) is bringing the legendary Japanese martial art of sumo wrestling to this part of the country at the ongoing 19th International Guwahati Trade Fair 2012 at Maniram Dewan Trade Centre here.
Scheduled from February 13 to February 16 from 6 pm onwards everyday, the event will see five world renowned sumo wrestlers, including the reigning world champion, slugging it out at the fair venue where they will perform multiple matches, and demonstrate various sumo exercises, training methods, winning techniques, including full body splits. While two sumo wrestlers are from the United States of America, the other three are from Mongolia. They are Byambajav Ulambayar, the current three-time world sumo champion, Kelly Gneiting, three-time US heavyweight sumo champion, Tumurbaatar Sanchir �Nachin� (Falcon), sumo and freestyle champion of Mongolia, Bagadavaa Odsuren �Zaan� (Elephant), sumo champion of Mongolia and twice champion of Mongolia in weightlifting, and Dagvador Azjargal �Arslan� (Lion), sumo bronze medallist of Mongolia, who also won the 5th place in Sumo World Championship.
Discolsing this at a press conference here today, ITFAA president Rajesh Das said the sumo wrestling exhibition is a part of ITFAA's initiative to celebrate 60 years of diplomatic relationship between Japan and India. While Japan is the focus country in the 19th IGTF, the participation of Mongolian wrestlers in the trade fair with the support of the Government of Mongolia is again an initiative to build strong bilateral ties between Northeast India and Mongolia.
Byambajav, who starred in many popular Hollywood movies including Oceans 13 and popular television series like America�s Got Talent and Big Brother, have been competing in Japan and all over the world for the past ten years. He has been to 20 countries to participate in sumo competitions.
Kelly is considered one of the top 3 overall sumo wrestlers in the United States since 2004. He represented US in the last five World Sumo Championships and was a leading sumotori in the world from 2005 to 2007. Moreover, Kelly, who also acted in Oceans 13, had set the Guinness World Record last year by being the heaviest person ever to run a marathon. He ran the Los Angeles Marathon twice, in 2008 and in 2011.
Das said, ITFAA has joined hands with various organizations worldwide in the initiative to make sumo an Olympic sport. During their stay in Guwahati, the wrestlers will also interact with students from different educational institutions and sports associations to create awareness about this ancient art form of Japan.
