Westfield Woman Takes 6th Place in World Sumo Championship

Westfield resident Helen Delpopolo took 6th place at the Sumo World Championship in Osaka, Japan - it was her first world championship in 10 years.

“I came out of retirement after 10 years to fight in honor of my two senseis who passed away this year, Yoshisada Yonezuka, the pioneer of Sumo in the US, and Ernesto Labate,” Delpopolo told TAP into Westfield. ”I felt there spirit with me in the dohyo. I will continue to keep their legacy alive in the sport of sumo,” Delpopolo said.

In 2005, Delpopolo was the youngest athlete to win a national title in the sport at the age of 12. She is currently the 2015 Middleweight Sumo National Champion for the United State, according to her GoFundMe page.

Delpopolo’s GoFundMe was created to help fund the journey overseas to Japan.

“Unfortunetly there is not much funding available for sumo even at the highest level, unlike U.S mainstream sports like Soccer & Swimming,” her account says.

To date, it raised $2,794 of its $4,500 goal. To see video of Delpopolo compete, click here.

Photo via Helen Delpopolo’s GoFundMe page.