Wrestling is a very old sport which still popular all over the world today. Most westlers are big sized men, but none can compare with sumo wrestlers of Japan. They are really Giants; each weights between 100 and 165 kg and stand at least 1,8 meters. One famous wrestler was 2,34 meters tall. Sumo wrestlers start their training young around the age of ten. From the beginning, they are encouraged to eat all the rice and drink the sake (Japanese rice wine) that they want. Before long they can eat ten times as much as normal person. Naturally, they grow fat, but they are also very muscular because they practice judo and exercise every day.
Championship fights are held three times a year at Kokugikwan Stadium in Tokyo. The Japanese are such fans of sumo wrestling that they will pay very high price for tickets. Millions of others watch the figths on television. Before each fight begins the two wrestlers drink water from a bucket. Then, they spit out some of it onto thesanded floor of the round ring. They also spill some salt over the area where they will wrestle to scare away evil spirits. The referee takes fifteen miutes or more start a fight. So the wrestlers get up a few times to stretch themselves, then crouch again to stare at each other.
Suddenly, the referee points his fan down and the fight begins. The opponents charge at each other, pulling and swaying as each tries to throw the other out of the ring. Whichever wrestlers touches the floor first is the closer.
(Taken From : Stepping More for Junior High School, 2005)
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