haʊˈɛvɚ, dᵻspˈaɪt pɚfˈɔːɹmɪŋ ɪmpɹˈɛsɪvli ɪnðə kwˈɔlɪfˌaɪɚz, hiː wʌz bˈɛntʃt fɚðə tˈʊɹnəmənt ɪn fˈeɪvɚɹ ʌv hɪz fˈɔːɹmɚɹ ˌʌndɚstˈʌdi ˈaɪdʒi kˌæwəʃˈiːmə.
However, despite performing impressively in the qualifiers, he was benched for the tournament in favour of his former understudy Eiji Kawashima.