Size Does Not Matter
The word sumo conjures images of giant Japanese men with manboobs and silky thongs (well, properly called “mawashi”). But Mak Ka-po, standing at 155cm and weighing 50kg, hardly fits this image. Plus, she’s a woman. She’s been a sumo wrestler for six years and participates in international and local contests.
HK Magazine: I thought sumo is a male-only sport?
Mak Ka-Po: You’re referring to professional sumo which females are forbidden to join. It is believed by the Japanese that menstruation contaminates the “dhoyo” (the circular area where the wrestle takes place). Female matches are not allowed to be held at the Sumo Stadium.
HK: Then how come you’re a sumo wrestler?
MKP: I am an amateur. I join tournaments divided into weight classes organized by the International Sumo Federation, which aims to make sumo recognized as an Olympic sport. I belong to the 50kg or below division. Professional sumo wrestlers, on the other hand, are ranked by the number of matches they win.
HK: Why are you interested in the sport?
MKP: I assumed it was a game for 300-400lbs males only, like most people do. I was intrigued when I learned that females, and people of my size, could participate as well. Besides, it looked simple to win – you just have to push your opponent out of the dhoyo or make him/her touch the ground with any body part (except soles). The game IS simple like that, when I learned that it also takes great strength in the lower body to STAY in the dhoyo. A sumo match usually lasts for 15-20 seconds but requires a great deal of patience in practice.
HK: When was the proudest moment you had in sumo?
MKP: I represented Hong Kong last year and played against a 168kg Hungarian wrestler. Although I was clearly a no-match in terms of weight, the entire audience cheered “Hong Kong! Hong Kong!” when I stepped on the dhoyo. That is the spirit of sport.
HK: Do you wear a mawashi as well?
MKP: Yes, and I usually need help from a teammate to tie it before a match. Female sumo wrestlers wear a leotard and spandex shorts under the mawashi, so it’s easier for girls since we don’t have to worry about covering up the important bits.
HK: Do you have a special diet?
MKP: Professional sumo wrestlers skip breakfast and have a big lunch complete with beer to help them gain weight to win the matches, since prizes are their source of income. Amateur ones like me just concentrate on more protein intake since that helps me build more muscles. I avoid fatty food because I am an athlete, and also because I am a girl.