Akebono wins eighth,
still trails Wakanohana

OSAKA, March 17 (Kyodo) - Wakanohana's march toward a fourth Emperor's Cup continued Tuesday as the ozeki improved to a perfect 10-0 in the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament with a classy win over veteran Tochinowaka.

Fellow ozeki Musashimaru, however, slipped to 6-4 and saw his yokozuna chances disappear with a loss to a gutsy Kotonowaka.

Yokozuna Akebono kept his title chances alive with a hard-earned win over No. 3 maegashira Ganyu to improve his record to 8-2. Maegashira grapplers Tosanoumi, Higonoumi and Aogiyama are all 7-3.

Wakanohana again looked imperious as he slid No. 5 maegashira Tochinowaka to the edge of the ring before coolly pulling him down to maintain his lead in the 15-day tournament.

Musashimaru allowed Kotonowaka to dictate their bout with a strong left-hand grip. After some grabbing and grunting in the center of the ring, Musashimaru ran out of gas and was forced out by the fourth-ranked maegashira, who evened his record at 5-5.

There were more upsets for the packed crowd at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium as ozeki Takanonami was manhandled by comeback kid Tosanoumi to slip to 6-4.

One-time ozeki hopeful Tosanoumi, now a sixth-ranked maegashira, blasted into Takanonami at the face-off and steamrollered his taller foe out of the ring in the blink of an eye to notch his seventh win.

''It was good sumo. You can't beat the ozeki unless you attack and give it everything,'' Tosanoumi said afterward.

Meanwhile, sekiwake Musoyama improved to 6-4 after a squeaky win against No. 3 maegashira Tochinonada, who dropped to 4-6.

In a battle of komusubi, Kaio looked to be in control with a solid left-hand grip until Kotonishiki pulled off a tricky spin move at the edge to turn the tables and chalk up his fourth win.

Kaio, who fell to 6-4, was clearly stunned as the twinkle-toed Kotonishiki got behind him and ran him out in a thrilling contest.

In a contender for bout of the day, 172-kilogram veteran Mitoizumi improved to 6-4 with a win over the diminutive Mainoumi, who tips the scales at 101 kg.

In a David and Goliath clash, Mainoumi circled Mitoizumi like a fly and kept his hands raised kung-fu style, but he was eventually trapped and spun out to fall to 3-7.

Meanwhile, No. 14 maegashira Higonoumi notched his 200th makuuchi division win with a solid display against the slippery Oginishiki to boost his record to 7-3.

Wakanohana keeps sole lead at 10-0

OSAKA, Japan (AP) - Wakanohana improved to 10-0 and kept the sole lead today, while Hawaiian-born Musashimaru suffered his fourth defeat and lost almost all chance of winning his second major sumo tournament in a row.

With five days left in the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament, ozeki (champion) Wakanohana was two victories ahead of his nearest rival, Hawaiian-born yokozuna (grand champion) Akebono, who scored his eighth victory against two defeats.

At 7-3 were three maegashira (senior) wrestlers - No. 6 Tosanoumi, No. 7 Aogiyama and No. 14 Higonoumi.

Wakanohana first tried to drive out No. 5 maegashira Tochinowaka (4-6), but then pulled him down.

Akebono, or Chad Rowan, grabbed No. 3 maegashira Ganyu's belt and forced him out, leaving Ganyu at 2-8.

No. 4 maegashira Kotonowaka (5-5) grabbed ozeki Musashimaru's belt quickly and drove him out.

Musashimaru, or Fiamalu Penitani, had won the previous tournament and could have gained promotion to sumo's highest rank, yokozuna, by winning this one. But with a 6-4 record so far, he appeared to have no chance.

Tosanoumi pushed out ozeki Takanonami (6-4), Aogiyama shoved out No. 13 maegashira Gojoro (6-4) and Higonoumi crushed down No. 8 maegashira Oginishiki (5-5).

No. 7 maegashira Kyokushuzan, or Mongolian Batbayar Davaa, suffered his sixth defeat against four victories as he was bulldozed out by No. 8 maegashira Terao (3-7), who ended his losing streak at six.

No. 12 maegashira Kyokutenho, or Mongolian Tsevegnyam Nyamjav (3-7), failed to clamp No. 13 maegashira Kitakachidoki's arms from outside and drive him out, and was toppled with a leg trick. Kitakachidoki is 5-5.

In makushita, the top junior division, No. 9-ranked Hoshitango, or Argentine Imach Marcelo Salomon, forced out No. 7-ranked Tominoyama for his third victory against two defeats.

No. 20-ranked Hoshiandesu, or Argentine Jose Antonio Juarez, also picked up his third victory against two defeats by slapping down No. 23-ranked Tochinoyama.

Wrestlers in junior divisions have only seven bouts during the 15-day tournament.