>>> A 24-YEAR-OLD EMPLOYEE AT A SECURITY COMPANY.

HER NAME IS HISANO AIRI.

ASIDE FROM HER DAY JOB, SHE'S ALSO CONSIDERED JAPAN'S TOP ATHLETE IN A CERTAIN SPORT.

WOMEN'S SUMO.

IT'S SAID THAT THERE ARE ROUGHLY 600 AMATEUR FEMALE SUMO WRESTLERS LIKE HISANO IN JAPAN.

♪ >> THIS MUSICIAN AND UNIVERSITY STUDENT IS ONE OF THEM.

>> IN OCTOBER 2023, THESE WOMEN COMPETED AT THE SUMO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN TOKYO, WHICH WERE HELD FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FOUR YEARS DUE TO THE PANDEMIC.

WE CHRONICLE THEIR JOURNEY IN THE TWO MONTHS LEADING UP TO THE TOURNAMENT.

♪ >> 300 KILOMETERS NORTHWEST OF TOKYO, KANAZAWA IN ISHIKAWA PREFECTURE.

>> HISANO WORKS AT A LOCAL SECURITY FIRM WHILE ALSO CONTINUING HER SUMO TRAINING.

WHEN SHE ARRIVES AT THE DOJO, THE FIRST THING SHE DOES IS PUT ON HER MAWASHI.

THE PROCESS IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS IT IS FOR MALE WRESTLERS.

SHE HAS THREE-HOUR TRAINING SESSIONS FOUR TIMES A WEEK.

ON THIS DAY, SHE'S WORKING ON HER SURIASHI, WHICH INVOLVES SLIDING FORWARD WHILE STAYING LOW TO THE GROUND.

THIS HELPS BUILD LOWER BODY STRENGTH.

IN SUMO, IT'S CONSIDERED ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT BASIC TRAINING EXERCISES.

HISANO HAS A REPUTATION AS THE STRONGEST FEMALE SUMO WRESTLER IN JAPAN.

AT THE ALL-JAPAN CHAMPIONSHIPS HELD IN OCTOBER, SHE WON THE OPEN-WEIGHT CLASS FOR THE FIFTH STRAIGHT TIME.

>> HISANO FIRST BECAME INVOLVED IN SUMO WHEN SHE WAS A SENIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL.

SHE WAS A MEMBER OF THE JUDO CLUB, AND THE SCHOOL'S PRINCIPAL SUGGESTED THAT SHE TAKE PART IN A NATIONAL SUMO TOURNAMENT.

THE EXPERIENCE WON HER OVER.

LATER, SHE ENROLLED IN NIHON UNIVERSITY, WHICH IS KNOWN FOR ITS STRONG SUMO CLUB.

SHE JOINED UP AND DEVOTED HERSELF TO TRAINING.

SHE ENDED UP WINNING THE ASIAN WOMEN'S SUMO CHAMPIONSHIPS.

AT THE SUMO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, SHE FINISHED THIRD IN HER WEIGHT CLASS.

NOW, AFTER UNIVERSITY, SHE'S TRAINING HARD TO BECOME WORLD CHAMPION.

>> MEANWHILE, AT THE SUMO CLUB AT THE PRESTIGIOUS KEIO UNIVERSITY.

THERE'S A STUDENT ATHLETE WHO ALSO ASPIRES TO BECOME THE BEST FEMALE SUMO WRESTLER IN THE WORLD.

SECOND-YEAR STUDENT, HASEGAWA RIO.

SHE'S THE FIRST FEMALE MEMBER IN THE CLUB'S ENTIRE 104-YEAR HISTORY.

FOUR TIMES A WEEK, SHE TRAINS TOGETHER WITH THE MALE MEMBERS.

>> ON THIS DAY, THEY'RE DOING PRACTICE MATCHES.

>> HASEGAWA'S STYLE IS ABOUT GETTING A QUICK START AND DRIVING HER OPPONENT OUT OF THE RING.

SOMETHING SEEMS TO BE OFF.

>> IT SEEMS SHE'S JAMMED HER LEFT PINKY FINGER.

SHE'S BEEN DEALING WITH MINOR INJURIES LIKE THIS SINCE SHE TOOK UP SUMO 14 YEARS AGO.

HASEGAWA IS ORIGINALLY FROM THE TOWN OF AJIGASAWA, IN THE NORTHERN PREFECTURE OF AOMORI.

IT'S A PLACE THAT'S FAMOUS FOR PRODUCING SUMO WRESTLERS.

DUE TO THE INFLUENCE OF HER OLDER BROTHER DOING CHILDREN'S SUMO, SHE WAS INSPIRED TO TAKE UP THE SPORT AT THE AGE OF 6.

SHE BECAME NATIONAL CHAMPION IN GRADE SCHOOL AND AGAIN IN JUNIOR HIGH.

IN HIGH SCHOOL, SHE CLAIMED THE MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE IN THE JUNIOR WORLD SUMO CHAMPIONSHIPS.

AND NOW, AS A COLLEGE ATHLETE, SHE SET HER SIGHTS ON THE GOLD AT THE SUMO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS.

>> NOW BACK TO HISANO.

CURRENTLY CONSIDERED JAPAN'S BEST FEMALE SUMO WRESTLER.

ON THIS DAY, SHE'S PAYING A VISIT TO THE SUMO CLUB AT HER ALMA MATER.

THE CLUB CURRENTLY HAS SIX FEMALE ATHLETES.

HISANO JOINS IN AS A TRAINING PARTNER FOR HER YOUNGER SISTERS.

BUT THEN -- >> HISANO INJURED HER RIGHT SHOULDER AT A TOURNAMENT EARLIER IN THE YEAR.

IT HASN'T FULLY HEALED YET.

>> AND SO HISANO CONTINUES TO TRAIN WHILE FIGHTING THE PAIN IN HER SHOULDER.

AFTER COMING HOME FROM A TOUGH SESSION, SHE HAS A FAVORITE WAY TO UNWIND.

>> HER SHELVES ARE LINED WITH ANIME FIGURINES AND OTHER COLLECTIBLES.

SHE SAYS SHE'S A MASSIVE FAN, AND ESPECIALLY ENJOYS CREATING ANIME-INSPIRED DRAWINGS.

IT'S BEEN HER HOBBY FOR 17 YEARS, ALONGSIDE SUMO.

>> TWO HOURS LATER -- >> IT'S A SELF-PORTRAIT, DRAWN IN AN ANIME-STYLE.

THERE ARE CURRENTLY ABOUT 600 AMATEUR FEMALE SUMO WRESTLERS, LIKE HISANO, IN JAPAN.

THAT'S FAR FEWER THAN THE NUMBER OF MALES.

ONE REASON IS THAT FOR WOMEN, THERE IS NO PATH TO GOING PRO.

PROFESSIONAL SUMO WRESTLERS, KNOWN AS RIKISHI, ARE TRADITIONALLY MALE.

TO DATE, THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A FEMALE RIKISHI.

BUT DESPITE THE UNCERTAINTIES, HISANO IS COMMITTED TO THE SPORT.

WE ASKED HER WHY.

>> ONE MONTH TO GO UNTIL THE SUMO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS.

HISANO CONTINUES TO PUSH THROUGH HER SHOULDER PAIN.

UNDER THE ADVICE OF HER COACH, SHE'S WORKING ON SOMETHING FOR THE TOURNAMENT.

>> HER STRATEGY AGAINST FOREIGN WRESTLERS, WHO TEND TO BE PHYSICALLY LARGER, WILL BE TO PUSH UP AGAINST THEM.

BY APPLYING UPWARD FORCE AGAINST A LARGER OPPONENT, SHE CAN COMPROMISE THEIR GRIP ON THE FLOOR, WHICH MAKES IT EASIER TO DRIVE THEM OUT OF THE RING.

HISANO IS WORKING ON THIS TECHNIQUE WITH A SPECIFIC RIVAL IN MIND.

THAT RIVAL HAPPENS TO BE BUSY TRAINING IN SOUTHWESTERN JAPAN.

IVANNA BEREZOVSKA IS FROM UKRAINE.

SHE'S STUDYING ABROAD AT A JAPANESE UNIVERSITY, WITH A REPUTATION FOR ITS SUMO CLUB.

>> PRIOR TO THE INVASION, UKRAINE HAD ABOUT 3,000 AMATEUR SUMO WRESTLERS.

THE SPORT IS SO POPULAR, THAT THE COUNTRY'S EVEN PRODUCED PROFESSIONAL RIKISHI.

IVANNA STARTED GOING TO HER LOCAL DOJO WHEN SHE WAS 18.

SHE WON TOURNAMENTS IN AND OUTSIDE OF UKRAINE, AND WAS EVEN SELECTED AS A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL SUMO TEAM.

BUT THEN THE INVASION TURNED THE EASTERN TOWN WHERE SHE WAS TRAINING INTO A WAR ZONE.

SHE COULD NO LONGER PRACTICE HER SUMO.

BUT A JAPANESE UNIVERSITY SAW WHAT SHE HAD TO OFFER, AND INVITED HER TO COME STUDY WITH THEM, STARTING IN THE SPRING, WAIVING HER TUITION FEES.

LIVING ALONE IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY IS NOT EASY, BUT SHE HAS PHOTOS TO REMIND HER OF HOME.

>> MEANWHILE, HASEGAWA WAS GRAPPLING WITH AN UNEXPECTED SLUMP AHEAD OF THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS.

ON THIS DAY, A FELLOW SUMO WRESTLER BASED AT A UNIVERSITY IN KYOTO IS IN TOWN TO TRAIN TOGETHER.

>> HASEGAWA IS STRUGGLING.

>> HER FIGHTING STYLE RELIES ON SPEED TO GAIN AN ADVANTAGE IN THE INITIAL CLASH.

BUT SHE'S TOO FOCUSED ON WHAT HER OPPONENT MIGHT DO, AND IT'S MADE HER UNABLE TO CHARGE OUT OF THE GATE.

>> THREE DAYS UNTIL THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS.

HISANO VISITS A LOCAL CLINIC TO GET HER RIGHT SHOULDER CHECKED.

>> AN MRI SCAN REVEALS WHAT THE DOCTOR SUSPECTS IS A RUPTURED TENDON.

HE SAYS SURGERY IS NEEDED TO FULLY HEAL HER SHOULDER.

>> DESPITE THE NEWS, SHE'S ALREADY MADE UP HER MIND ABOUT COMPETING.

>> HELLO.

>> ON THE DAY OF THE TOURNAMENT, 58 FEMALE SUMO WRESTLERS, FROM 28 COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES, GATHER AT THE VENUE.

HISANO AND HASEGAWA ARRIVE TOGETHER.

AFTER CHANGING, HASEGAWA IMMEDIATELY STARTS TO WARM UP WITH SOME SURIASHI DRILLS.

EVER SINCE SHE FELL INTO A SLUMP, SHE'S BEEN PRACTICING THIS BASIC TECHNIQUE TO REDISCOVER HER FORM.

SHE KEEPS AT IT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE BEFORE THE TOURNAMENT STARTS.

>> THE FIRST HALF IS THE INDIVIDUAL EVENT, WHICH IS SPLIT INTO WEIGHT CLASSES.

LET'S SEE THE MIDDLEWEIGHT CLASS.

HASEGAWA STEPS INTO THE RING FOR ROUND ONE.

HER OPPONENT IS FROM POLAND.

SHE'S OFF TO A STRONG START.

>> NEXT UP, HASEGAWA'S SEMIFINAL MATCH.

SHE FACES OFF AGAINST A WRESTLER FROM UKRAINE.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> IT LOOKED AS IF SHE'D SEIZED THE INITIATIVE IN THE INITIAL CLASH.

BUT THEN HER OPPONENT UNLEASHED A SERIES OF POWERFUL THRUSTS, DRIVING HER OUT OF THE RING.

HASEGAWA'S TOURNAMENT COMES TO AN END WITH A THIRD PLACE FINISH.

NEXT UP, THE OPEN-WEIGHT CLASS.

HISANO ENTERS THE RING FOR HER HISANO ENTERS THE RING FOR HER FIRST ROUND BOUT.

HER OPPONENT IS FROM POLAND.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> DESPITE THE PAIN IN HER RIGHT SHOULDER, HISANO PUTS ON A SERIES OF POWERFUL DISPLAYS.

AND ADVANCES TO THE FINAL.

>> SHE STEPS UP TO THE STAGE OF HER DREAMS, WITH THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ON THE LINE.

HER OPPONENT IS FROM NORWAY.

THE MOMENT OF TRUTH.

>> HISANO IS VICTORIOUS.

SHE TOOK A THRUST TO HER RIGHT SHOULDER, BUT FOUGHT THROUGH THE PAIN AND MANAGED TO SEIZE A BELT GRIP.

FROM THERE, SHE FORCED HER OPPONENT OUT OF THE RING.

SHE'S ACHIEVED HER DREAM OF BECOMING BEST IN THE WORLD.

>> NOW, WE GO TO THE FINALS OF THE TEAM EVENT, WHICH FINISHES OUT THE TOURNAMENT.

TEAM JAPAN VERSUS TEAM UKRAINE.

THEY FACE OFF IN A BEST OF THREE SERIES.

THE TEAMS SPLIT THE FIRST TWO MATCHES.

SO IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE FINAL SHOWDOWN.

HISANO'S OPPONENT IS NONE OTHER THAN IVANNA, THE STUDY ABROAD STUDENT.

SHE TOOK THE GOLD IN THE HEAVYWEIGHT CLASS OF THE INDIVIDUAL EVENT.

IT'S TIME FOR HISANO TO EXECUTE THE GAME PLAN SHE'S BEEN WORKING ON.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> HISANO ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE UPWARDS.

BUT IVANNA'S LONG ARMS NEUTRALIZED HER.

AND SHE WAS DRIVEN OUT OF THE RING.

>> DESPITE FINISHING THE TEAM EVENT WITH A LOSS, HISANO HAD A SMILE ON HER FACE FOR THE MEDAL CEREMONY.

♪