Muslim Sumo Wrestler from Africa

Abdelrahman Ahmed Shaalan aka Osunaarashi

(Nagoya, Japan)

Egypt's Abdelrahman Ahmed Shaalan, the first professional sumo wrestler from both the African continent and Arab World, faces some mighty challenges as he embarks on a quest to become a yokozuna, or grand champion.

The man known by the ring name Osunaarashi, which translates as Great Sandstorm, prays five times a day as a devout Muslim, a tough routine given the intense daily training schedule required for sumo's highly ritualised contests.

Small in number, foreigners are vital members of tradition-bound sumo as more Japanese youngsters with high athletic abilities tend to choose baseball, football and other lucrative or more high-profile sports with less rigid conventions.

Mongolians have been a dominant force in the top ranks for years, although Shaalan is among the sport's first Muslim competitors.

As such, the 20-year-old does not touch the deep-fried pork cutlets loved by millions of Japanese or drink vast quantities of beer and rice wine sake, staples of a diet that sumo wrestlers rely on to bulk up. Muslims avoid pork and alcohol.

But Shaalan, who quit his university accounting degree to enter sumo's professional ranks, is undeterred, even brushing aside the challenges presented by the holy month of Ramadan when he cannot eat or drink during daylight hours.

Heh.