Kotoeko Ken

not to be confused with the real life sumo wrestler Kotoeko.

Kenneth Stephen Hafnan (Born January 6, 1952) better known as Kotoeko Ken is an Indonesian sumo wrestler who was the first rikishi to be born in Indonesia.

Early Life
Kotoeko was born Kenneth Stephen Hafnan on January 6th, 1952 to Hadjar Hafnan and Molly Hafnan (nee Dailey) his father was a devout Catholic of Atoni descent and his mother had Irish ancestry, also a devout catholic. He had four brothers, the older ones Alam and Barry, and the younger ones Tan-Malaka and Manusama, he also had a younger sister named Leni. He played sports in school, and was rather athletic, participating in Soccer and Wrestling. His first introduction to sumo came in 1972 when his older brother Barry was recruited to join Sumo by the former Yokozuna Fujimoto, although he declined. After graduating high school he became a factory worker until age 25, when he decided to become a rikishi after he himself met Fujimoto.

Career
After arriving in Japan, Hafnan was eagerly welcomed by Fujimoto and quickly employed in Sadogatake beya, taking the name Kotoeko. His debut in sumo became good news in both Japan and Indonesia. He had a rough start, but after that he quickly rose up the ranks, he got straight good records from July 1977 to January 1978 before missing due to injury, then got straight good records again until September 1979.

Sekitori Career
In August of 1979, it was announced that Kotoeko was one of the new Juryo rikishi, he won the Yusho that basho with a 10-5 score, after winning a 4-man playoff. He ended up spending the next year bobbing up and down in upper Juryo before falling to Juryo 8 from Juryo 2 after a 6-9 record, he then rebounded in September of 1981 with a second Juryo Yusho, this one would see him promoted to Makuuchi.

Kotoeko made his Makuuchi debut in the Kyushu basho of 1981, he finished with a 9-6 score, the following tournament, he finished with a 10-5 score and was awarded with a fighting spirit award. In may of 1982, he came close to winning his first top division tournament, losing out in a playoff after finishing with a 13-2 score, although he was rewarded runner-up and an outstanding performance award. He then had an average career before retiring in November of 1983 after a devastating 1-14 score.