Sumo
TOKYO, Sept. 15 (Kyodo) - Kotomitsuki pulled down Tochinonada and Asashoryu pulled out Tochiazuma for their sixth wins Saturday as the maegashira duo emerged the unlikely co-leaders heading into the second week of the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament. Kotomitsuki and Asashoryu
lead tournamentYokozuna Musashimaru and ozeki Musoyama, meanwhile, were saddled with upset losses on the seventh day of the tourney at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan to slip further behind the surprise front-runners.
Second-ranked maegashira Kotomitsuki (6-1) had little trouble with Tochinonada (3-4), timing his pull-down perfectly in the battle for inside position to send the No. 5 maegashira sprawling.
Top-ranked Asashoryu of Mongolia got into a battle of bumper cars with Tochiazuma (4-3) and found himself trapped against the straw bales -- only final nudge from going out.
As the sekiwake tried to apply the final blow, however, Asashoryu pulled himself around Tochiazuma, whose momentum carried him inadvertently out of the ring.
Kotomitsuki and Asashoryu will not remain co-leaders for long since the one-time sekiwake and former komusubi square off Sunday for the sole lead in the tournament.
Meanwhile, two-time defending champion Musashimaru was dumped onto his backside with an inside trip by No. 4 maegashira Kaiho (4-3) and crashed to second straight loss and third of the tourney.
Musoyama, who came to the arena Saturday as one of five co-leaders, got beaten at the face-off by No. 3 maegashira Tosanoumi (3-4), who charged low and bulldozed the ozeki out to a second loss.
Ozeki Chiyotaikai ripped out of his crouch and overpowered No. 2 maegashira Takanowaka (3-4) for his fourth win but ozeki Miyabiyama (3-4) dodged a bullet against fourth-ranked Tokitsuumi.
Tokitsuumi (5-2) was also one of the leaders at the start of the day and appeared poised to join Kotomitsuki and Asashoryu at the front of the pack when he forced Miyabiyama to the edge of the ring.
Miyabiyama, however, twisted away and cranked Tokitsuumi over as they tumbled out to steal a win from the jaws of defeat.
Sekiwake Dejima, seeking 10 wins to regain his former ozeki status, drove Takanonami (2-5) to the edge of the ring off the tachiai (face-off) and then threw the fifth-ranked maegashira over with a belt-less arm throw to secure his fourth win.
In earlier bouts, No. 8 maegashira Kyokutenho of Mongolia backed out 10th-ranked Oginishiki (4-3) out of the ring for his fifth win, but sixth-ranked stablemate Kyokushuzan (3-4) was marched out by No. 7 Kotoryu (4-3).
No. 13 maegashira upstart Kitazakura, also an early leader, was backed out of the ring by Chiyotenzan (4-3) to slip to his second loss.
Results of main sumo bouts
TOKYO (AP) - Results of main bouts Saturday, the seventh day of the 15-day Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Arena:Winners Losers
Terao (juryo) (4-3) Wakatsutomu (1-6)
Takatoriki (3-4) Kobo (3-4)
Akinoshima (3-4) Hamanishiki (3-4)
Chiyotenzan (4-3) Kitazakura (5-2)
Otsukasa (4-3) Daishi (3-4)
Higonoumi (4-3) Aminishiki (4-3)
Kyokutenho (5-2) Oginishiki (4-3)
Wakanoyama (4-3) Hayateumi (2-5)
Daizen (5-2) Toki (3-4)
Kotoryu (4-3) Kyokushuzan (3-4)
Kotomitsuki (6-1) Tochinonada (3-4)
Kotonowaka (3-4) Tamakasuga (1-6)
Tamanoshima (3-4) Wakanosato (3-4)
Dejima (4-3) Takanonami (2-5)
Asashoryu (6-1) Tochiazuma (4-3)
Tosanoumi (3-4) Musoyama (5-2)
Chiyotaikai (4-3) Takanowaka (3-4)
Miyabiyama (3-4) Tokitsuumi (5-2)
Kaiho (4-3) Musashimaru (4-3)
Juryo Division
Sentoryu (3-4) Juzan (2-5)
Sunday's main bouts:
Wakanoyama Aminishiki
Chiyotenzan Wakatsutomu
Daishi Oginishiki
Higonoumi Hamanishiki
Akinoshima Otsukasa
Kyokutenho Takatoriki
Kitazakura Daizen
Hayateumi Kotoryu
Kyokushuzan Toki
Tamakasuga Takanowaka
Kotomitsuki Asashoryu
Tochinonada Tamanoshima
Tochiazuma Kotonowaka
Wakanosato Dejima
Takanonami Miyabiyama
Musoyama Kaiho
Tosanoumi Chiyotaikai
Musashimaru Tokitsuumi
For more sumo information online, try:
Sumo Web
Da Kine Sumo E-zine
Grand Sumo Home Page
Ozumo
CyberSumo.net
Kyodo News Service