Sumo
TOKYO, May 17 (Kyodo) - Yokozuna Takanohana once again recovered from a slow start and muscled out top maegashira Takanowaka Friday to grab a share of the lead at the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament on Friday with journeyman wrestler Higonoumi. Takanohana rebounds;
Musashimaru stumps
TochinonadaOzeki Kaio, meanwhile, appears to have blown his chances for promotion to sumo's top rank as he fell to his third defeat of the tourney at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan at the hands of Wakanosato.
Takanohana spotted Takanowaka (2-4) the advantage at the face-off, but came back to force the top maegashira over the straw bales to keep his record unblemished at 6-0.
Crowd-favorite Asashoryu (4-2), meanwhile, once again gave an effervescent display of sumo, reaching several times into his bag of tricks but was not able to find the right move to dump sekiwake Tochiazuma (4-2).
The Mongolian, outstanding against the top fighters at the beginning of the tournament, beating Musashimaru and three ozeki, failed to deal with the sekiwake and was pushed out of the ring.
Kotomitsuki (4-2) is another komusubi who has now claimed three ozeki scalps in the tournament but it took him 10 minutes and two restarts to finally get the better of Musoyama.
The marathon bout had to be stopped twice after reaching stalemates, but following a second restart, Kotomitsuki found the energy to power the Musashigawa stable ozeki out.
Ozeki Kaio (3-3) was in trouble from the start against Wakanosato (3-3) and was thrown down by the No. 1 maegashira.
Hawaii-born yokozuna Musashimaru (4-2) slapped down hapless Tochinonada (0-6).
Higonoumi, competing in his 50th consecutive tournament in the top division without ever reaching the upper ranks, now finds himself sharing the lead as the tournament nears the end of the first week.
The Wakayama native moved his record to a perfect 6-0 after dumping Otsukasa (3-3) but the 11th-ranked maegashira will find it difficult to keep up the challenge when he has to face wrestlers at the higher ranks in the latter half of the 15-day tournament.
Ozeki Chiyotaikai (5-1) kept within one win of the lead by downing No. 3 maegashira Tosanoumi (1-5).
Dejima (2-4) finally found his ozeki form to swiftly brush off Tamanoshima (1-5) and send the No.3 maegashira packing from the ring following a powerful initial charge.
Elsewhere, Kyokushuzan (5-1) fell to his first loss as he was shoved out by Tochinohana (4-2) and fellow Mongolian Kyokutenho (3-3) could fare no better as he was muscled out by Hayateumi (5-1).
TOKYO, May 18 (Kyodo) - Results of makuuchi division bouts Friday, the sixth day of the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo (+ denotes juryo division wrestler): Results of day six
Won Technique Lost
Daizen 3-3 yorikiri +Minatofuji 3-3
Tochinohana 4-2 oshidashi Kyokushuzan 5-1
Toki 4-2 oshitaoshi Wakatsutomu 4-2
Takatoriki 2-4 oshidashi Asanowaka 1-5
Akinoshima 3-3 hatakikomi Hamanishiki 1-5
Higonoumi 6-0 uwatedashinage Otsukasa 3-3
Jumonji 3-3 sukuinage Aminishiki 3-3
Terao 2-4 hatakikomi Kaiho 1-5
Kotonowaka 3-3 oshidashi Tokitsuumi 1-5
Tochisakae 4-2 oshidashi Takanonami 4-2
Hayateumi 5-1 yorikiri Kyokutenho 3-3
Wakanoyama 2-4 okuridashi Chiyotenzan 2-4
Tochiazuma 4-2 yoritaoshi Asashoryu 4-2
Chiyotaikai 5-1 sukuinage Tosanoumi 1-5
Miyabiyama 4-2 hatakikomi Tamakasuga 2-4
Dejima 2-4 oshidashi Tamanoshima 1-5
Kotomitsuki 4-2 yorikiri Musoyama 3-3
Wakanosato 4-2 shitatenage Kaio 3-3
Takanohana 6-0 yorikiri Takanowaka 2-4
Musashimaru 4-2 tsukiotoshi Tochinonada 0-6
Saturday's bouts
Daizen x - x +Wakatoryu
Takatoriki 0 - 0 Tochinohana
Kyokushuzan 1 - 1 Aminishiki
Toki 2 - 6 Akinoshima
Hamanishiki 0 - 0 Kotonowaka
Otsukasa 0 - 0 Wakatsutomu
Higonoumi 3 - 4 Kyokutenho
Terao 6 - 3 Tokitsuumi
Kaiho 6 - 6 Asanowaka
Tamakasuga 1 - 1 Jumonji
Tamanoshima 1 - 0 Tochisakae
Tosanoumi 3 - 1 Chiyotenzan
Wakanosato 3 - 2 Takanonami
Kaio 6 - 0 Wakanoyama
Chiyotaikai 0 - 2 Takanowaka
Asashoryu 1 - 0 Miyabiyama
Dejima 0 - 3 Kotomitsuki
Tochinonada 3 - 8 Musoyama
Hayateumi 0 - 4 Musashimaru
Takanohana 15 - 5 Tochiazuma
TOKYO, May 18 (Kyodo) - Former sumo grand champion Wakanohana returned home from the United States on Friday, revealing that he plans to take a shot at becoming a professional football player in the U.S. National Football League (NFL). Wakanohana eyes
American football"I trained with some NFL athletes. It would be worth a shot," the 30-year-old former yokozuna said upon his return from Phoenix, Arizona.
Wakanohana, whose real name is Masaru Hanada, said he has watched the NFL since junior high school, adding, "I have the feeling that I can do what I like now, and I would like to give this a shot to the best of my ability.
Hanada, the elder brother of yokozuna Takanohana, retired from sumo in March last year and resigned from the Japan Sumo Association (JSA) in December to pursue a career as a television and commercial personality.
He reportedly has had the idea of taking a shot at the NFL for about six months.
When reminded by reporters that the life of an NFL player is "very tough," Hanada remarked that he has already experienced a tough life in sumo.
The former yokozuna is reportedly approaching the scouts of different teams to give him a look and is ready to take a test if any team is ready to give him a trial.
Hanada, who tipped the scales at about 134 kilograms near the end of his sumo career, said he had no idea about which position he would like to try and play.
He added, however, that he plans to continue his career as entertainment personality as much as that would be possible.
TOKYO (AP) - Yokozuna (grand champion) Takanohana remained undefeated at 6-0 while ozeki (champion) Kaio posted his third loss Friday, the sixth day of the 15-day Summer Grand Sumo tournament. Takanohana remains
undefeated at 6-0Takanohana couldn't immediately grasp his opponent's belt, but swiftly took control of the match and pushed No. 1 maegashira Takanowaka out of the ring.
Takanohana shared the lead at 6-0 with lower-ranked No. 11 maegashira (senior wrestler) Higonoumi, who won against No. 8 Otsukasa.
Chances for a promotion to sumo's highest rank - yokozuna - all but faded when ozeki Kaio was thrown out of the ring by No. 1 maegashira Wakanosato. Kaio's record worsened to 3-3.
Kaio won the last tournament in March and two consecutive championships would have cleared the requirement for promotion to yokozuna.
The other yokozuna, Musashimaru, or Fiamalu Penitani from Hawaii, breezed past sekiwake (junior champion) Tochinonada to extend his record to 4-2. Tochinonada remained winless.
Spectators at Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Arena in downtown Tokyo were treated to an unusually long bout between ozeki Musoyama and komusubi (junior champion second class) Kotomitsuki.
A referee had to step in twice as the bout lasted over 10 minutes when both wrestlers refused to advance or retreat. When the match resumed a few minutes later, it was the young challenger Kotomitsuki who took just 30 seconds to drive his opponent out.
Kotomitsuki has now beaten three of the five ozekis to stand at 4-2. Musoyama fell to 3-3.
Ozeki Chiyotaikai downed No. 3 maegashira Tosanoumi to trail the leaders at 5-1, along with No. 4 maegashira Hayateumi. Tosanoumi is 1-5. Hayateumi pushed out No. 7 maegashira Kyokutenho, or Mongolian Tsevegnyam Nyamjav, who stands at 3-3.
In other major bouts, Mongolian komusubi Asashoryu succumbed to the powerful push of sekiwake Tochiazuma, leaving both wrestlers at 4-2.
Another Mongolian, No. 15 maegashira Kyokushuzan or Batbayar Davaa, was thrust out by No. 13 maegashira Tochinohana who improved to 4-2.
In the 26-member juryo division, just below the senior makuuchi division, No. 4-ranked Sentoryu, or American Henry Armstrong Miller, lost to No. 1-ranked Kitazakura (4-2) to fall to 2-4.
No. 8-ranked Kuniazuma, or Brazilian Vander Ramos, slapped down No. 4-ranked Harunoyama (3-3) to improve to 5-1.
No. 13-ranked Wakaazuma, or Yoshinobu Kuroda from Brazil, lost to No. 7-ranked Yotsukasa (4-2) to fall to 1-5.
TOKYO (AP) - Results of main bouts Friday, the sixth day of the 15-day Summer Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Arena: Results of main sumo bouts
Winners Losers
Daizen (3-3) Minatofuji (juryo) (3-3)
Tochinohana (4-2) Kyokushuzan (5-1)
Toki (4-2) Wakatsutomu (4-2)
Takatoriki (2-4) Asanowaka (1-5)
Akinoshima (3-3) Hamanishiki (1-5)
Higonoumi (6-0) Otsukasa (3-3)
Jumonji (3-3) Aminishiki (3-3)
Terao (2-4) Kaiho (1-5)
Kotonowaka (3-3) Tokitsuumi (1-5)
Tochisakae (4-2) Takanonami (4-2)
Hayateumi (5-1) Kyokutenho (3-3)
Wakanoyama (2-4) Chiyotenzan (2-4)
Tochiazuma (4-2) Asashoryu (4-2)
Chiyotaikai (5-1) Tosanoumi (1-5)
Miyabiyama (4-2) Tamakasuga (2-4)
Dejima (2-4) Tamanoshima (1-5)
Kotomitsuki (4-2) Musoyama (3-3)
Wakanosato (4-2) Kaio (3-3)
Takanohana (6-0) Takanowaka (2-4)
Musashimaru (4-2) Tochinonada (0-6)
Juryo Division
Kitazakura (4-2) Sentoryu (2-4)
Kuniazuma (5-1) Harunoyama (3-3)
Yotsukasa (4-2) Wakaazuma (1-5)
Saturday's main bouts:
Daizen Wakatoryu (juryo)
Takatoriki Tochinohana
Kyokushuzan Aminishiki
Toki Akinoshima
Hamanishiki Kotonowaka
Otsukasa Wakatsutomu
Higonoumi Kyokutenho
Terao Tokitsuumi
Kaiho Asanowaka
Tamakasuga Jumonji
Tamanoshima Tochisakae
Tosanoumi Chiyotenzan
Wakanosato Takanonami
Kaio Wakanoyama
Chiyotaikai Takanowaka
Asashoryu Miyabiyama
Dejima Kotomitsuki
Tochinonada Musoyama
Hayateumi Musashimaru
Takanohana Tochiazuma
For more sumo information online, try:
Sumo Web
Da Kine Sumo E-zine
Ozumo
CyberSumo.net
Kyodo News Service