Kotonishiki wins
Kyushu tournament

FUKUOKA, Japan -- Kotonishiki, the first sumo wrestler ever to win two tournaments while ranked lower than junior champion, improved his record to 14-1 Sunday before receiving his trophy for the 15-day Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament.

The No. 12 maegashira (senior wrestler), ranked near the bottom of the senior makuuchi division, already had clinched the title Saturday when he reached 13-1 by driving out ozeki (champion) Takanonami.

On Sunday, he put both hands inside on the belt of equally ranked Kyokushuzan and bulldozed him out.

Kotonishiki's only defeat came at the hands of yokozuna (grand champion) Wakanohana on the 12th day.

Kyokushuzan, or Mongolian Batbayar Davaa, finished at 8-7.

''I won the tournament because of support from all of you and I tried as hard as I could,'' the 30-year-old Kotonishiki told spectators.

He collected the winner's prize of 10 million yen (dlrs 83,000), in addition to his seventh outstanding performance award and his eighth technique prize, each worth 2 million yen (dlrs 17,000).

Kotonishiki had won only one previous title, in 1991, when he was a 23-year-old maegashira No. 5. Above the maegashira ranks, there are four champion ranks, from grand champion to junior champion second class.

In the day's final bout, yokozuna Takanohana twisted out ozeki Musashimaru, or Fiamalu Penitani from Hawaii, and wound up the tournament at 12-3. Musashimaru ended at 11-4.

Takanohana had helped Kotonishiki clinch the tournament Saturday when he defeated the leader's closest rival, No. 9 maegashira Tosanoumi.

On Sunday, Tosanoumi pulled down No. 4 maegashira Tamakasuga and received his fourth fighting spirit prize, worth 2 million yen (dlrs 17,000), for his 12-3 record, including a victory over Wakanohana.

Sekiwake (junior champion) Chiyotaikai thrust out Wakanohana and finished at 10-5, with Wakanohana at 9-6.

Komusubi (junior champion second class) Musoyama sent out ozeki Takanonamai (8-7) and ended at 9-6.

Yokozuna Akebono, or Chad Rowan from Hawaii, missed the tournament with a back injury and needs a little more time to recover, since light exercise still gives him pain, his training stable master, Azumazeki, or Jesse Kuhaulua from Hawaii, was quoted by Kyodo News agency as saying.

No. 1 maegashira Tochiazuma sent out No. 4 maegashira Toki (7-8) and received his third technique prize for his 10-5 record.

Since he lost a majority of his bouts, Toki may be demoted in rank before the next tournament, starting Jan. 10.

In the 26-member juryo division, just below makuuchi, No. 10-ranked Hoshitango, or Argentine Imach Marcelo Salomon, pulled down No. 8-ranked Toyonoumi, leaving both wrestlers at 8-7.

Juryo's No. 2-ranked Kyokutenho, or Mongolian Tsevegnyam Nyamjav, ended at 6-9, losing to makuuchi's No. 14 maegashira Akinoshu (4-11) by a driving technique.

In makushita, the top junior division, No. 56-ranked Kyokutenzan, or Mongolian Enkhbat Batmunkha, twisted down No. 52-ranked Minami and finished at 5-2.

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

Results in Scoreboard

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