Sumo
TOKYO, Jan. 11 (Kyodo) - Akebono dodged a bullet Tuesday as he toughed out a win over sekiwake Musoyama to stay unbeaten, but fellow yokozuna Takanohana snatched defeat from the jaws of victory against rank-and-filer Kotonowaka at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament. Akebono still perfect,
Taka slips up at
New Year sumoAkebono's umpteenth comeback from injury was almost interrupted as Musoyama (2-1) burst from the blocks and sent the giant Hawaiian staggering back to the straw bails, but the grand champion used his massive 235-kilogram bulk to avoid a quick exit.
The Fat Lady had already finished her encore once Akebono got his feet set, smothered his smaller opponent and started bellying him towards the edge of the ring for his third straight victory in the 15-day meet.
Takanohana, winner of 20 Emperor's Cups but without a title since September 1998, got his favorite right-hand inside grip on No. 2 maegashira Kotonowaka, only to run out of gas as he tried to kill the bout off.
Kotonowaka (2-1) had other ideas, however, and within seconds Takanohana was upside down on the ringside cushions nursing a 2-1 record.
Yokozuna Musashimaru bounced back from Monday's upset loss to No. 1 maegashira Kotoryu by suffocating top-ranked Toki (0-3) for his second win in three days, while sekiwake Takanonami maintained his perfect record by mugging komusubi Miyabiyama (2-1).
Takanonami, who needs 10 wins to regain the ozeki status he lost after a second straight losing record at the Kyushu tourney last November, won few style points as he locked up his opponent's arms before twisting him off the raised ring.
Kotoryu provided another upset as he forced out ozeki Chiyotaikai (1-2) to boost his record to 2-1, while Dejima, the second of the ozeki pair, blew away the New Year cobwebs by beating up winless No. 2 maegashira Asanowaka to notch his first victory.
Further down sumo's top makuuchi division, No. 4 maegashira Tochinonada moved to 3-0 as he barged out sixth-ranked Aogiyama (1-2), while No. 13 maegashira Kyokutenho of Mongolia kept pace with the leaders by muscling out 11th-ranked Chiyotenzan (2-1).
Meanwhile, perennial ozeki candidate Kaio improved to 2-1 after slapping down komusubi Tosanoumi (1-2) and fellow sekiwake Tochiazuma shook off his millennium bug by shoving out winless Kotonishiki, a third-ranked maegashira, to record his first win.
Results of 3rd-day bouts at New Year Grand Sumo Tournament
TOKYO, Jan. 11 (Kyodo) - Results of makuuchi division bouts Tuesday, the third day of the 15-day New Year Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo:
Won Technique Lost
Oikari 2-1 oshidashi Ohinode 0-3
Takanowaka 2-1 yorikiri Kinkaiyama 1-2
Kyokutenho 3-0 yorikiri Chiyotenzan 2-1
Tokitsuumi 2-1 hatakikomi Kaiho 1-2
Otsukasa 1-2 okuritaoshi Asanosho 2-1
Tamakasuga 2-1 oshidashi Takatoriki 0-3
Terao 2-1 okuridashi Minatofuji 2-1
Wakanoyama 2-1 yorikiri Hamanoshima 0-3
Akinoshima 2-1 oshidashi Kyokushuzan 0-3
Tochinonada 3-0 oshidashi Aogiyama 1-2
Higonoumi 2-1 yorikiri Shikishima 1-2
Tochiazuma 1-2 oshidashi Kotonishiki 0-3
Kaio 2-1 hatakikomi Tosanoumi 1-2
Takanonami 3-0 kimetaoshi Miyabiyama 2-1
Kotoryu 2-1 yorikiri Chiyotaikai 1-2
Dejima 1-2 oshidashi Asanowaka 0-3
Kotonowaka 2-1 yoritaoshi Takanohana 2-1
Musashimaru 2-1 yorikiri Toki 0-3
Akebono 3-0 yorikiri Musoyama 2-1
Main bouts for 4th day of New Year Grand Sumo Tournament
TOKYO, Jan. 11 (Kyodo) - Makuuchi division bouts for Wednesday, the fourth day of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo:Takanowaka 1 - 0 Kyokutenho
Kinkaiyama 1 - 0 Ohinode
Oikari 0 - 1 Tokitsuumi
Takatoriki 1 - 2 Chiyotenzan
Otsukasa 1 - 0 Minatofuji
Tamakasuga 2 - 1 Kaiho
Asanosho 2 - 0 Wakanoyama
Kyokushuzan 6 - 4 Terao
Hamanoshima 6 - 6 Aogiyama
Tochinonada 3 - 2 Shikishima
Kotonishiki 38 - 8 Akinoshima
Higonoumi 2 - 3 Tochiazuma
Kaio 1 - 0 Kotoryu
Tosanoumi 6 - 16 Takanonami
Dejima 5 - 0 Toki
Musoyama 6 - 2 Chiyotaikai
Asanowaka 0 - 3 Akebono
Miyabiyama 0 - 2 Takanohana
Musashimaru 20 - 12 Kotonowaka
TOKYO (AP) - Hawaii-born Akebono remained undefeated but his fellow yokozuna (grand champion) Takanohana suffered his first loss on Tuesday, the third day of the 15-day New Year Grand Sumo tournament. Akebono remains
undefeated, Takanohana
suffers upsets defeatTied with Akebono with a perfect record are three wrestlers - sekiwake (junior champion) Takanonami, No. 4 maegashira (senior wrestler) Tochinonada and No. 13 maegashira Kyokutenho from Mongolia.
In the day's final bout at Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Arena in downtown Tokyo, Akebono charged sekiwake (junior champion) Musoyama with fierce hand thrusts, deftly grabbed his foe's belt and sent him out, handing Musoyama his first defeat against two victories.
Akebono, or Chand Rowan from Hawaii, is seeking his 10th tournament victory.
Yokozuna Musashimaru, or Fiamalu Penitani from Hawaii, held off No. 1 maegashira Toki's hand thrusts and sent him out for his second victory against one defeat. Toki is 0-3.
No. 2 maegashira Kotonowaka crushed out Takanohana after they charged each other with arm throw attempts, leaving both wrestlers at 2-1.
In other major bouts, ozeki (champion) Dejima picked up his first victory against two defeats by pushing out winless No. 2 maegashira Asanowaka.
No. 1 maegashira Kotoryu, who defeated Musashimaru on Monday, sent out ozeki Chiyotaikai for his second victory against one defeat. Chiyotaikai is 1-2.
Sekiwake Takanonami charged komusubi (junior champion second class) Miyabiyama with hand thrusts and clamped his foe's arms from outside before sending him out, leaving Miyabiyama at 2-1.
Takanonami can regain his lost rank of ozeki if he wins 10 bouts in this tournament.
No. 4 maegashira Akinoshima drove out winless No. 6 maegashira Kyokushuzan, or Mongolian Batbayar Davaa, for his second victory against one defeat.
No. 13 maegashira Kyokutenho, or Mongolian Tsevegnyam Nyamjav, grabbed No. 11 maegashira Chiyotenzan's belt and drove him out, leaving Chiyotenzan at 2-1.
In the 26-member juryo division, just below the senior makuuchi division, No. 3-ranked Hoshitango (2-1), or Argentine Imach Marcelo Salomon, slapped down No. 1-ranked Daizen (1-2).
No. 9-ranked Sentoryu (1-2), or American Henry Armstrong Miller, charged No. 7-ranked Dewataira (1-2) with an arm throw attempt and sent him out from behind.
In makushita, the top junior division, No. 12-ranked Asashoyu (1-1), or Mongolian Dolgorsvren Dagvadrj, crushed down No. 13-ranked Ushiomaru.
In sandanme, the second highest junior division, No. 50-ranked Ryuo (2-0), or Wang Yu from Shanghai, China, threw down equally-ranked Kaihakusan (1-1), or South Korean Baeg Yun-gi.
In Jonokuchi, the lowest junior division, No. 32-ranked Kitakasuga (1-1), or Mongolian Tsolmonbayar Munkhbat, pushed out No. 42-ranked Tochitani.
Wrestlers in junior divisions have only seven bouts during the 15-day tournament.
Results of Main Sumo Bouts
TOKYO (AP) - Results of main bouts Tuesday, the third day of the 15-day New Year Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Arena:
Winners Losers
Oikari (2-1) Ohinode (0-3)
Takanowaka (2-1) Kinkaiyama (1-2)
Kyokutenho (3-0) Chiyotenzan (2-1)
Tokitsuumi (2-1) Kaiho (1-2)
Otsukasa (1-2) Asanosho (2-1)
Tamakasuga (2-1) Takatoriki (0-3)
Terao (2-1) Minatofuji (2-1)
Wakanoyama (2-1) Hamanoshima (0-3)
Akinoshima (2-1) Kyokushuzan (0-3)
Tochinonada (3-0) Aogiyama (1-2)
Higonoumi (2-1) Shikishima (1-2)
Tochiazuma (1-2) Kotonishiki (0-3)
Kaio (2-1) Tosanoumi (1-2)
Takanonami (3-0) Miyabiyama (2-1)
Kotoryu (2-1) Chiyotaikai (1-2)
Dejima (1-2) Asanowaka (0-3)
Kotonowaka (2-1) Takanohana (2-1)
Musashimaru (2-1) Toki (0-3)
Akebono (3-0) Musoyama (2-1)
Juryo Division
Sentoryu (1-2) Dewataira (1-2)Hoshitango (2-1) Daizen (1-2)
Junior Divisions:
MakushitaAsashoyu (1-1) Ushiomaru
Sandanme
Ryuo (2-0) Kaihakusan (1-1)
Jonokuchi
Kitakasuga (1-1) Tochitani
(Junior division wrestlers have only seven bouts during the tournament. Records of foreign wrestlers' opponents were not available.)
Wednesday's main bouts:
Takanowaka Kyokutenho
Kinkaiyama Ohinode
Oikari Tokitsuumi
Takatoriki Chiyotenzan
Otsukasa Minatofuji
Tamakasuga Kaiho
Asanosho Wakanoyama
Kyokushuzan Terao
Hamanoshima Aogiyama
Tochinonada Shikishima
Kotonishiki Akinoshima
Higonoumi Tochiazuma
Kaio Kotoryu
Tosanoumi Takanonami
Dejima Toki
Musoyama Chiyotaikai
Asanowaka Akebono
Miyabiyama Takanohana
Musashimaru Kotonowaka
Results in Scoreboard
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