Baku championships showcase rising standards in global sumo

The 27th edition of the Sumo World Championships took place in Baku, Azerbaijan, last weekend, and there were several signs that amateur sumo may be moving into a new stage of development. Some of the projected changes are more gradual than others, with Japan and Ukraine still the dominant powers inside the straw bales. Nine of the 12 gold medals available in various men’s and women’s categories went to those two nations, with Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan and Bulgaria also topping one podium apiece.