Sumo
Musashimaru
surrenders sole leadTOKYO, Sept. 20 (Kyodo) -- Yokozuna Takanohana pulled down a rampaging ozeki Chiyotaikai to move into a three-way tie for the lead as fellow grand champion Musashimaru fell victim to some fancy footwork by Kaio at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Friday.
Kaio also got a share of the lead at 11-2 with two days left in the 15-day tournament at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan, with Chiyotaikai and seventh-ranked maegashira Kotomitsuki one win behind.
To the amazement of the crowd, Takanohana used a sidestep maneuver to avert Chiyotaikai's charge as the bout got under way.
Off-balance and his momentum over the bales, Chiyotaikai regrouped and stampeded forward, only to be yanked to the sandy surface for the loss and saw his hopes of being promoted to yokozuna all but disappear.
In the day's finale, Kaio started backpedaling and looked in trouble against the massive Samoan but employed an outside leg trip to send the 230-kilogram yokozuna crashing onto his back.
In other ozeki upsets, Asashoryu (9-4) fell from contention with his fourth loss in five days when he bumped heads with sekiwake Wakanosato (8-5), who kept the usually pugnacious ozeki at bay before shoving him over the bales for a surprisingly easy win.
Kotomitsuki (10-3) turned the tables on Musoyama (7-6) while teetering near the edge, twisting the ozeki down for a convincing win.
Komusubi stalwart Takanonami (6-7) hemmed up third-ranked Kyokutenho in an armlock for a clean frontal force-out, handing the third-ranked Mongolian wrestler his seventh loss.
Eleventh-ranked Mongolian Kyokushuzan (7-6) had to wait another day for an elusive winning record after he was blasted out by No. 9 maegashira Gojoro (6-7).
Crowd favorite Takamisakari (3-10) had another bad day at the office, falling to top-ranked maegashira and former ozeki Miyabiyama (6-7).
Results
Won Technique Lost +Jumonji 8-5 oshitaoshi Daizen 3-10 Kasuganishiki 5-8 kotenage Ushiomaru 7-6 Gojoro 6-7 tsukidashi Kyokushuzan 7-6 Tamakasuga 10-3 oshidashi Aminishiki 7-6 Akinoshima 6-7 yorikiri Tokitsuumi 6-7 Hokutoriki 8-5 hikiotoshi Tochinohana 6-7 Buyuzan 5-8 oshidashi Otsukasa 3-10 Tamanoshima 7-6 oshidashi Asanowaka 6-7 Wakanoyama 7-6 tsukiotoshi Tochisakae 2-7-4 Shimotori 4-9 okuridashi Kotoryu 3-10 Tochinonada 4-9 oshidashi Toki 3-10 Takanonami 6-7 yorikiri Kyokutenho 6-7 Miyabiyama 6-7 oshidashi Takamisakari 3-10 Tosanoumi 6-7 oshidashi Takanowaka 7-6 Wakanosato 8-5 yorikiri Asashoryu 9-4 Kotomitsuki 10-3 tsukiotoshi Musoyama 7-6 Takanohana 11-2 hikiotoshi Chiyotaikai 10-3 Kaio 11-2 sotogake Musashimaru 11-2
Saturday's bouts
Daizen x - x +Tamarikido Kyokushuzan 0 - 0 Kasuganishiki Wakanoyama 2 - 7 Tamakasuga Tochinohana 2 - 3 Aminishiki Hokutoriki 1 - 0 Akinoshima Asanowaka 2 - 7 Tokitsuumi Tamanoshima 0 - 0 Ushiomaru Tochisakae 5 - 1 Otsukasa Shimotori 0 - 1 Toki Miyabiyama 4 - 5 Takanowaka Gojoro 1 - 3 Tochinonada Takamisakari 1 - 0 Buyuzan Kotoryu 0 - 7 Takanonami Kyokutenho 1 - 2 Tosanoumi Asashoryu 3 - 5 Kotomitsuki Wakanosato 4 - 9 Musoyama Musashimaru 10 - 9 Chiyotaikai Kaio 12 - 26 Takanohana
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