Associated Press

Akebono remains
in contention

He is one win behind leader
Takanohana with two days left
in the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament

NAGOYA, Japan -- Yokozuna (grand champions) Takanohana and Akebono both won their bouts today, day 13 of the 15-day Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament, leaving Akebono one victory behind his arch rival for the championship.

Takanohana deflected Tosanoumi (7-6), sending the sekiwake (junior champion) twirling into the first row of spectators after the last in a series of spirited charges that failed to ruffle Takanohana.

In a long match between two sumotori from Hawaii, yokozuna Akebono, or Chad Rowan, powered out ozeki (champion) Musashimaru, or Fiamalu Penitani (9-4), after the two established mutual two-fisted belt holds, leading to a long, see-saw shoving match.

Akebono's 11th win against two losses put him one match behind Takanohana, who goes into day 14 with 12 wins and only one loss.

Ozeki Takanonami won his eighth match of the tournament by spinning sekiwake Tamakasuga around and out at the rim. Both wrestlers flew out of the ring, but the umpires ruled that the ozeki still had a foot inside at the end of Tamakasuga's brief flight out over the rim.

Ozeki Wakanohana also picked up a majority eighth win to five losses by shoving down No. 5-ranked maegashira (senior wrestler) Kotonishiki (4-9) just before stepping back over the rim himself.

Maegashira No. 3 Akinoshima flipped Komusubi (junior champion second class) Oginishiki with a shoulder throw for his sixth win against seven losses. It was Oginishiki's 10th loss against three wins.

No. 1 maegashira Takatoriki shoved out No. 8 Ganyu for his tenth win against three losses. Ganyu is 7-6.

No. 9 maegashira Konishiki, or Salevaa Fuauli Atisanoe from Hawaii, compacted No. 6 maegashira Tochinowaka in an unescapable double overarm belt hold and slowly bulldozed him out for his seventh win against six losses. Tochinowaka is 5-8.

No. 15 maegashira Yamato, or George Kalima from Hawaii, picked up his fourth win against nine losses by using a right-shoulder hold to leverage out Tokitsuumi, who is ranked No. 3 in the 26-member juryo division, just below his opponent's senior makuuchi division.