Takanohana upset
on tournament’s
second day

FUKUOKA, Japan -- Yokozuna (grand champion) Takanohana, seeking his 21st tournament title and third in a row, fell to lower-ranked Kaio on Monday, second day of the 15-day Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament.

Yokozuna Wakanohana and Hawaiian-born ozeki (champion) Musashimaru remained undefeated at 2-0.

No. 1 maegashira (senior wrestler) Kaio drove out Takanohana after coming short in several previous pushing attempts in a bout that lasted 70 seconds. A sumo bout usually ends in 5 or 10 seconds.

Kaio, who sent out ozeki Takanonami on opening day Sunday, now stands 2-0. Takanohana is 1-1.

In the day's final bout, Wakanohana slapped down No. 1 maegashira Tochiazuma (0-2), who had dashed against him with his head.

Musashimaru, or Fiamalu Penitani, grabbed komusubi (junior champion second class) Kotonowaka's belt and drove him out, leaving Kotonowaka at 0-2.

Ozeki Takanonami grabbed No. 2 maegashira Higonoumi's belt and bulldozed him out for his first victory against one defeat. Higonoumi is 0-2.

Sekiwake (junior champion) Chiyotaikai (2-0) tossed down komusubi Dejima (0-2) after fighting off Dejima's pushing attempts with hand thrusts.

No. 12 maegashira Kyokushuzan, or Mongolian Batbayar Davaa, charged No. 8 maegashira Wakanojo with an arm throw attempt, but Wakanojo resisted and sent him out, leaving both wrestlers at 1-1.

In the 26-member juryo division, just below the senior makuuchi division, No. 2-ranked Kyokutenho, or Mongolian Tsevegnyam Nyamjav, crushed down No. 4-ranked Tomonohana. Both wrestlers are 1-1.

No. 10-ranked Hoshitango, or Argentine Imach Marcelo Salomon, downed No. 11-ranked Miyabiyama with a leg trick, leaving both at 1-1.

It was Miyabiyama's first defeat since he joined professional sumo wrestling from Meiji University. Including his first bout in the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament in July, he had won 15 bouts in a row, one short of the sumo record for new wrestlers of 16 in a row by Wajima in 1970. Wajima reached yokozuna rank in July 1973.

In makushita, the top junior division, No. 11-ranked Wakaazuma (1-0), or Yoshinobu Kuroda from Brazil, threw down No. 12-ranked Masutsuyoshi.

No. 5-ranked Hoshiandesu (0-1), or Argentine Jose Antonio Juarez, was forced out by No. 5-ranked Saitoh.

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

Results in Scoreboard

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