Latest news with #Estonian-born
Tokyo Weekender
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Tokyo Weekender
Nicholas Tarasenko Aiming To Become Second British Professional Sumo Wrestler in History
In 1989, Great Britain's Nathan John Strange became the first ever professional sumo wrestler from Europe. Fighting under the ring name Hidenokuni , the London-born wrestler garnered quite a followin g. After his second tournament, he was p romoted to the fifth jonidan division of the sport . However, h is stablemates treated him harshly as they weren't too pleased with the attention he was getting. As a result, he retired within a few months. Since then, there have been no professional British sumo wrestlers. Looking to change that is Nicholas Tarasenko, a 15-year-old student from Hull city. List of Contents: Nicholas Tarasenko Joins Minato Stable Lofty Ambitions Related Posts Nicholas Tarasenko Joins the Minato Stable Earlier this month, after he finished his GCSE exams, the 187-centimeter-tall teenager left his hometown in Yorkshire to head to Japan. He has joined the Minato-beya in Saitama Prefecture, which is led by Minatofuji, who reached the rank of maegashira 2. The stable's most successful wrestler to date was Ichinojo from Mongolia, who was promoted all the way to sekiwake and won the top division championship in July 2022. It will be some achievement if Tarasenko can achieve anything like that, but he has already shown a lot of potential. Having spent years practicing judo and playing rugby, the youngster made his sumo debut two years ago in Estonia during a trip to visit his grandmother. His Estonian-born father had connections with Baruto , who reached sumo's second – highest rank of ozeki . Baruto hosts a sumo tournament for people aged under 18 , which Tarasenko decided to join. He went on to win the 90-kilogram class gold despite only having had one hour of sumo training prior to the competition. He was also four years under the age limit. The following year, he was invited to train at the Minato-beya . Lofty Ambitions An ambitious young man, he has already joked about making his mark in the sport. Speaking to The Japan Times ' John Gunning last year, he said with a smile, 'I'm trying to get past yokozuna — see if I can become so good that they make a new ranking. You always gotta aim high.' He added, 'There's more pressure on me to be the best because it's one foreigner per stable and if I don't do my best, it feels like I'm disrespecting everyone that was helping me as well, so now I have to become the best. I can't settle for less.' If Tarasenko passes his Japanese exams, he could make his professional debut as early as the spring basho in Osaka next March. British fans of the sport will be excited to see how he progresses. Sumo first appeared on television in the UK in the 1960s when the BBC broadcast segments on Japanese culture and sports. Its popularity reached its peak between 1988 and 1992 thanks to the program, Channel 4 Sumo . During that period, London's historic Royal Albert Hall hosted a five-day tournament. The 154-year-old Kensington venue will be hosting its second sumo competition in October 2025. Related Posts The Greatest Sumo Rivalries of All Time | List of 7 London To Host First Overseas Sumo Tournament in 20 Years A Guide to Sumo in Tokyo
Time Out Dubai
22-05-2025
- Business
- Time Out Dubai
Bolt and Dubai Taxi Company offer 30% discount to new riders
The Dubai Taxi Company has introduced a special 30 percent discount for rides in the emirate. If you're a new user with e-hailing service Bolt, then you'll be able to get 30 percent cash back on your first three rides. It is only available for new users on the app, and it includes no surge pricing – so, your discount could go further if you use it during peak hours. The offer comes as the Estonian-born e-hailing app announced a major expansion in Dubai. Bolt has revealed that more than 6,000 cabs, including people of determination taxis and ladies and family taxis, are now available on the platform. The expansion allows residents and visitors more options to book journeys digitally. (Credit: Dubai Taxi Company) Bolt arrived in the emirate back in December and offers a number of features which promise affordable and safe rides. Along with transparent pricing, the app includes a mapping system ensuring accurate routes, in-app safety features like emergency buttons and live tracking, and a driver score system that promotes high service quality. More than 200 million people use Bolt around the world, with it operating in more than 50 countries across five continents. The shared mobility platform connects to existing modes of transport and aims to reduce overall levels of car usage and ownership in big cities by making it easier for people to get around. The Dubai government aims to transition 80 percent of all taxi trips to e-booking in the coming years, and add more options to book rides digitally will help achieve this goal. Ammar Al Braiki, chief operations officer of Dubai Taxi Company, said that DTC and Bolt have plans to become the country's largest e-hailing platform. He said: 'The integration of over 6,000 DTC's vehicles onto the Bolt app represents a major step toward realising our vision of creating the UAE's largest e-hailing platform. 'This milestone underscores our commitment to enhancing and expanding digital transportation services, reflecting both innovation and our shared goal of offering greater convenience and efficiency for users across the emirate.' Looking for things to do in Dubai? All the sports events in Dubai in 2025 to sign up for Make 2025 the year of your PBs 50 brilliant outdoor activities to try at least once in Dubai Let's take this outside The incredible Dubai hotels offering more than just a room Did someone say freebies?
