Fatigued mentally and physically, Roy Sims contemplated whether he should continue.
Having just earned a bronze medal in the U.S. Sumo Open men’s heavyweight division on Aug. 8 in Long Beach, the 33-year-old Sims wondered if competing in the men’s open weight division—the most prestigious category of the championships—would actually do more harm than good since he’s scheduled to compete in the World Sumo Championships in Osaka, Japan on Aug. 30.
“I was totally drained and thought to myself, ‘Maybe it was best if I played it safe,” said Sims, who is the director of technology for the San Benito County Office of Education. “But I realized I had to go for it. Ultimately, I needed to keep on competing, to keep on getting better. You’re not going to be on top all the time, and it’s in those moments when you have to suck it up and keep going. It’s about taking a hit, getting up and trying again.”
The 6-foot-5, 360-pound Sims rebounded with the seminal performance of his burgeoning sumo career, winning the open weight division. Sims made history, becoming the first American male to win gold in the open weight division.
Sims, who has been competing in sumo for just over a year, knew he had to make a tactical adjustment entering the open weight competition. Sims lost to Egypt’s Ramy Elgazar in the semifinals of the heavyweight division, and the Egyptian once again stood in his way in the open weight title match.
Sims realized he couldn’t wrestle with the top-tier competitors, most of whom have significantly more experience than Sims. Heeding the advice of Jenelle Hamilton, the women’s lightweight and open weight champion, Sims exploded out of his stance and used an underhook to get Elgazar off his toes for the win.
“These guys are very experienced and by wrestling them, I’m at a disadvantage,” he said. “If I can keep them off me and keep using my fast hands, push them and keep them on their toes, that’s my game and my advantage. She was right—I needed to hit them before they hit me.”
At the start of the match against Elgazar, Sims got into a football stance—even lower than he usually does—before the two met in a thunderous collision.
“I decided I was going to take it up a notch,” Sims said. “I put in my mouthpiece and told myself I was going to go for it.”
Learning from his previous loss just 30 minutes earlier in the heavyweight semifinal match, Sims set the tone from the outset, driving his body into Elgazar with such force that he got the Egyptian off balance within a couple of seconds.
Sims had an equally important match in the semifinals against former world champion Byambajav Ulambayar, who had defeated Sims in their only two previous matches last year at the U.S. Sumo Open.
However, Sims felt confident entering the match, coming off several sparring matches the two had engaged in since last year’s open. Ulambayar has been the dominant heavyweight in the U.S. Sumo Open, having won the previous eight titles before his run ended this year.
During his eight-year title run, Ulambayar had a record of 76-2. Ulambayar is also a former four-time world champion and wrestled professionally in Japan for five years.
Because of his success at the U.S. Sumo Open, Ulambayar is popular with U.S. fans and a true legend in the sport. But it was Sims who was stronger and faster—and in his mind, more driven.
“Ultimately it comes down to what I feel who trains the hardest,” Sims said. “I had gone to Los Angeles three or four times to train with him, and we have a rivalry to some degree, but I think we have a mutual respect. I think a friendship has developed on my end, but he may not like me as much as I like him.”
Sims was ultra serious when he said one of the keys to winning the open weight division was eating a Snickers during the break time. Sims hadn’t properly fueled himself hours before the competition, resulting in increased nerves and a lack of energy. However, once he finished off the candy bar, he was ready to roll. Apparently, Snickers does satisfy.
“I know it’s going to sound like a cliché and kind of funny, but as soon as I ate the Snickers, I was back to my normal self,” he said.
Already confident in his training and abilities, Sims will enter the World Championships with a level-headed attitude.
“The three of us (Sims, Elgazar and Ulambayar) who were at the U.S. Sumo Open, we all have an opportunity to do well there,” Sims said.
