0 8 ▁he ▁injured ▁his ▁left ▁arm ▁in ▁a ▁match ▁with ▁K ak ury ū ▁on ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁day ▁and ▁with d rew ▁on ▁Day ▁ 9 ▁with ▁only ▁two ▁wins . ▁There ▁was ▁spec ulation ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁be ▁dem oted ▁to ▁se ki w ake ▁in ▁the ▁following ▁tournament ▁in ▁May . ▁ ▁Need ing ▁eight ▁wins ▁to ▁hold ▁his ▁rank ▁in ▁the ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁tournament , ▁he ▁won ▁ 1 2 ▁consecutive ▁b outs ▁including ▁domin ating ▁vict ories ▁against ▁y ok oz una ▁As ash ō ry ū ▁on ▁the ▁ 1 1 th ▁day ▁and ▁y ok oz una ▁H ak uh ō ▁on ▁the ▁ 1 2 th ▁day . ▁He ▁was ▁easily ▁defeated ▁by ▁A min ish iki ▁on ▁the ▁ 1 3 th ▁day , ▁but ▁came ▁back ▁strong ▁to ▁defeat ▁Ama ▁on ▁the ▁ 1 4 th ▁day , ▁becoming ▁the ▁first ▁European ▁to ▁win ▁a ▁top ▁division ▁championship . ▁His ▁father ▁was ▁in ▁the ▁crowd ▁to ▁witness ▁his ▁victory . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁con gr at ulated ▁by ▁the ▁Bulgar ian ▁President ▁Georg i ▁Par van ov . ▁ ▁K oto ō sh ū ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁follow ▁up ▁his ▁victory ▁with ▁a ▁push ▁for ▁y ok oz una ▁promotion , ▁producing ▁scores ▁of ▁only ▁ 9 – 6 ▁and ▁ 8 – 7 ▁in ▁the ▁next ▁two ▁tournament s . ▁In ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁he ▁denied ▁alleg ations ▁by ▁dis g rac ed