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Musashimaru
saddled with first loss
in Kyushu sumo

FUKUOKA, Nov. 11 (Kyodo) - Musashimaru was thrown to his first loss by rank-and-filer Chiyotenzan on Saturday, while rival yokozuna Takanohana continued his charge and remained unbeaten at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament.

Takanohana dug in for a hard-earned victory over No.4 maegashira Tosanoumi, joining ozeki Miyabiyama - who barged out top-ranked maegashira Akinoshima - on a perfect 7-0 in the 15-day tourney at Fukuoka Kokusai Center.

Defending Kyushu champion Musashimaru failed to get control of Chiyotenzan's belt in the day's final bout, allowing the No. 3 maegashira to seize the initiative and twice take the Samoan-born giant to the edge before flipping him down to improve to 4-3.

Takanohana edged a step closer to ending a two-year title drought, defusing a spirited attack from Tosanoumi (4-3) and moving in to usher the No. 4 maegashira out of the ring.

Meanwhile, Musoyama, back at ozeki after posting a 10-5 record at the autumn tourney in September, quickly got to grips with Hayateumi (3-4) at the face-off, but the sekiwake regained his balance to shove the ozeki out to his third loss of the meet.

Yokozuna Akebono blasted out komusubi Tochinohana (2-5) in typically bruising fashion for win No. 6, while ozeki Dejima forced out second-ranked maegashira Hamanoshima (1-6) to stay hot on the heels of the front-running duo at 6-1.

Ozeki Kaio opted out of a clash of heads at the charge by dodging to the left to grab Wakanosato (1-6) around the neck and haul him to the dirt as the hometown favorite also joined the six-way tie for second place.

Ozeki Chiyotaikai burst out of his crouch and delivered a barrage of slaps and thrusts to sekiwake Takanonami, sending him hurtling out of the ring to improve to 6-1, along with ninth-ranked maegashira Kotomitsuki.

Mongolia's sixth-ranked maegashira Kyokutenho breezed to a third win, needing only an instant to drag down winless No. 5 maegashira Takatoriki, while compatriot Kyokushuzan, a No. 3 maegashira, slumped to his sixth loss against top-ranked Wakanoyama (2-5).

Results of main bouts on
7th day of Kyushu sumo

FUKUOKA, Nov. 11 (Kyodo) - Results of makuuchi division bouts Saturday, the seventh day of the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament at Fukuoka Kokusai Center (+ denotes juryo division wrestler):

Won Technique Lost
+Kinkaiyama 6-1 yorikiri Minatofuji 2-5
Tokitsuumi 4-3 hikiotoshi Jumonji 1-6
Aminishiki 1-6 sotogake Wakakosho 2-5
Kotomitsuki 6-1 yoritaoshi Kaiho 4-3
Takanowaka 5-2 yorikiri Tamanonada 3-4
Kotoryu 4-3 uwatenage Oginishiki 4-3
Tochinonada 5-2 oshidashi Otsukasa 4-3
Tamakasuga 5-2 oshidashi Kotonowaka 4-3
Tochisakae 3-4 oshidashi Asanowaka 2-5
Kyokutenho 3-4 hatakikomi Takatoriki 0-7
Toki 4-3 oshidashi Higonoumi 1-6
Wakanoyama 2-5 oshidashi Kyokushuzan 1-6
Kaio 6-1 oshidashi Wakanosato 1-6
Hayateumi 3-4 yorikiri Musoyama 4-3
Miyabiyama 7-0 oshidashi Akinoshima 2-5
Dejima 6-1 yorikiri Hamanoshima 1-6
Chiyotaikai 6-1 oshidashi Takanonami 0-7
Takanohana 7-0 yorikiri Tosanoumi 4-3
Akebono 6-1 tsukidashi Tochinohana 2-5
Chiyotenzan 4-3 uwatenage Musashimaru 6-1

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Sunday's bouts

+Shikishima x - x Tamanonada
Kotoryu 8 - 6 Minatofuji
Wakakosho 0 - 0 Asanowaka
Jumonji 0 - 0 Aminishiki
Kaiho 4 - 4 Tokitsuumi
Oginishiki 0 - 0 Kotomitsuki
Kotonowaka 0 - 0 Otsukasa
Tamakasuga 2 - 3 Tochinonada
Takanowaka 3 - 1 Kyokutenho
Tochisakae 0 - 0 Chiyotenzan
Higonoumi 2 - 4 Kyokushuzan
Takatoriki 11 - 5 Hamanoshima
Takanonami 2 - 0 Wakanosato
Tochinohana 1 - 1 Hayateumi
Wakanoyama 1 - 1 Chiyotaikai
Kaio 22 - 5 Akinoshima
Toki 2 - 1 Miyabiyama
Musashimaru 18 - 5 Tosanoumi
Takanohana 9 - 3 Dejima
Musoyama 6 - 21 Akebono

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Musashimaru loses,
Takanohana stays
in lead at 7-0

FUKUOKA, Japan (AP) - Hawaiian-born yokozuna (grand champion) Musashimaru suffered his first defeat and fell one victory behind rival Takanohana, who remained perfect at 7-0 Saturday, day seven of the Kyushu Grand Sumo tournament.

Surging young ozeki (champion) Miyabiyama shares the lead with Takanohana.

Musashimaru joined yokozuna Akebono, three ozekis - Chiyotaikai, Dejima and Kaio - and a lower ranked Kotomitsuki at 6-1.

Musashimaru, born Fiamalu Penitani, survived the ringside push by No. 3 ranked maegashira (senior wrestler) Chiyotenzan several times but was picked up by the loincloth and thrown out as his endurance finally ran out. Chiyotenzan is 4-3.

Takanohana easily survived the initial push-and-shove by No. 4-maegashira Tosanoumi and pushed him from behind. Tosanoumi slipped to 4-3.

Miyambiyama shoved out top-ranked maegashira Akinoshima, who is 2-5.

Akebono, or Chad Rowan, needed only several seconds to push out Tochinohana (2-5).

Rising quickly from the initial squatting position, the yokozuna gave a severe push at Tochinohana's neck then used his trademark hand thrusts to push him out.

Chiyotaikai also charged with a series of hand thrusts to push out Takanonami, who is winless at 0-7.

No. 9 maegashira Kotomitsuki bulldozed equally ranked Kaiho and gave him a final ringside push. Kaiho slipped to 4-3.

Mongolian-born Kyokushuzan (1-6), No. 3 maegashira, whose real name is Tsevegnyam Nyamjav, was driven out by No. 1 maegashira Wakanoyama (2-5).

In the 26-member juryo, just below the senior makuuchi division, the top-ranked Sentoryu (3-4), or American Henry Armstrong Miller, was thrown down by No.4-ranked Shikishima (4-3).

No.3-ranked Asashoryu (5-2), or Mongolian Dolgorsvren Dagvadrj, was pushed down by No. 10-ranked Kotokanyu (4-3).

Results of main sumo bouts

FUKUOKA, Japan (AP) - Results of main bouts Saturday, the seventh day of the 15-day Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament at Fukuoka Kokusai Center:

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Winners Losers
Kinkaiyama (juryo)(6-1) Minatofuji (2-5)
Tokitsuumi (4-3) Jumonji (1-6)
Aminishiki (1-6) Wakakosho (2-5)
Kotomitsuki (6-1) Kaiho (4-3)
Takanowaka (5-2) Tamanonada (3-4)
Kotoryu (4-3) Oginishiki (4-3)
Tochinonada (5-2) Otsukasa (4-3)
Tamakasuga (5-2) Kotonowaka (4-3)
Tochisakae (4-3) Asanowaka (2-5)
Kyokutenho (3-4) Takatoriki (0-7)
Toki (4-3) Higonoumi (1-6)
Wakanoyama (2-5) Kyokyushuzan (1-6)
Kaio (6-1) Wakanosato (1-6)
Hayateumi (3-4) Musoyama (4-3)
Miyabiyama (7-0) Akinoshima (2-5)
Dejima (6-1) Hamanoshima (1-6)
Chiyotaikai (6-1) Takanonami (0-7)
Takanohana (7-0) Tosanoumi (4-3)
Akebono (6-1) Tochinohana (2-5)
Chiyotenzan (4-3) Musashimaru (6-1)

Juryo:

Kotokanyu (4-3) Asashoryu (5-2)
Shikishima (4-3) Sentoryu (3-4)

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Junior Divisions:

Makushita

Yamada Wakaazuma (2-2)
Kasugao (3-2) Kabutonishiki
Kyokutenzan (3-1) Raiko
Asasekiryu (2-2) Yoshio

Sandanme

Azumaoh (2-2) Kiyoseryu
Ieda Takao (0-4)
Ryuo (3-1) Imaarashi

(Junior division wrestlers have only seven bouts during the tournament. Records of foreign wrestlers' opponents were not available.)

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Saturday's main bouts:

Shikishima (juryo) Tamanonada
Kotoryu Minatofuji
Wakakosho Asanowaka
Jumonji Aminishiki
Kaiho Tokitsuumi
Oginishiki Kotomitsuki
Kotonowaka Otsukasa
Tamakasuga Tochinonada
Takanowaka Kyokutenho
Tochisakae Chiyotenzan
Higonoumi Kyokushuzan
Takatoriki Hamanoshima
Takanonami Wakanosato
Tochinohana Hayateumi
Wakanoyama Chiyotaikai
Kaio Akinoshima
Toki Miyabiyama
Musashimaru Tosanoumi
Takanohana Dejima
Musoyama Akebono

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Sumo Web
Da Kine Sumo E-zine
Ozumo
Kyodo News Service