Wakanohana takes
sole lead, Musashimaru
falls to Kotonishiki

TOKYO (AP) - Yokozuna (grand champion) Wakanohana maintained his perfect record, but Hawaii's Musashimaru fell to another defeat on Saturday, the seventh day of the 15-day New Year Grand Sumo Tournament.

Wakanohana, the only unbeaten wrestler in the competition at 7-0, bore repeated hand thrusts from No. 3 maegashira (senior wrestler) Aogiyama before sidestepping his opponent and hurling him from the ring. Aogiyama is at 2-5.

Ozeki (champion) Musashimaru, formerly Fiamalu Penitani of Hawaii, stepped out of the ring after komusubi (junior champion second class) Kotonishiki grabbed the larger wrestler by the belt and pushed him off balance.

Kotonishiki, winner of the previous tournament in November, is at 2-5 and Musashimaru at 3-4.

In the last bout of the day, yokozuna Takanohana pushed komusubi Tochiazuma out of the ring after coming close to stepping over the edge himself. That put both wrestlers at 4-3.

In other major bouts, sekiwake Chiyotaikai suffered his first loss of the tournament when top maegashira Tosanoumi drove him quickly out of the ring. Tosanoumi is at 3-4.

No. 4 maegashira Minatofuji pushed out ozeki Takanonami and picked up his second win against five losses. Takanonami dropped to 3-4.

No. 8 maegashira Kyokushuzan, or Mongolian Batbayar Davaa, flipped No. 9 maegashira Kaiho on his back after a lengthy stand-off, for his third win of the tournament. Kaiho is at 2-5.

In the second-tier juryo division, just below the top makuuchi division, No. 6-ranked Kyokutenho, or Mongolian Tsevegnyam Nyamjav, was pushed from the ring by No. 1 wrestler Miyabiyama.

Kyokutenho is at 4-3 and Miyabiyama at 6-1.

No. 9-ranked Hoshitango, or Argentine Imach Marcelo Salomon, pushed No. 5-ranked Akinoshu out of the ring for his fourth win against three losses. Akinoshu is at 3-4.

Results of Main Sumo Bouts

TOKYO (AP) - Results of main bouts Saturday, seventh day of the 15-day New Year Grand Sumo Tournament at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan sumo arena:

Winners vs Losers

Asanowaka (juryo) (4-3) Kinkaiyama (0-7)
Wakanojo (3-4) vs vs Mitoizumi (3-4)
Ganyu (6-1) vs vs Oginishiki (5-2)
Gojoro (2-5) vs vs Asahiyutaka (2-5)
Tochinonada (4-3) vs Asanosho (3-4)
Kyokushuzan (3-4) vs Kaiho (2-5)
Shikishima (4-3) vs Hamanoshima (5-2)
Chiyotenzan (6-1) vs Terao (4-3)
Higonoumi (5-2) vs Kotoryu (3-4)
Toki (4-3) vs Tochinowaka (4-3)
Akinoshima (5-2) vs Tokitsuumi (3-4)
Takatoriki (2-5) vs Tamakasuga (2-5)
Kaio (3-4) vs Dejima (3-4)
Musoyama (5-2) vs vs Kotonowaka (4-3)
Tosanoumi (3-4) vs Chiyotaikai (6-1)
Minatofuji (2-5) vs Takanonami (3-4)
Kotonishiki (2-5) vs Musashimaru (3-4)
Wakanohana (7-0) vs Aogiyama (2-5)
Takanohana (4-3) vs Tochiazuma (4-3)

Juryo Division

Hoshitango (4-3) vs Akinoshu (3-4)
Miyabiyama (6-1) vs Kyokutenho (4-3)

Junior Divisions:

Makushita

Aoba vs vs Kyokutenzan (2-2)
Ishizaki vs Hoshiandesu (2-2)

Jonoguchi

Kuniazuma (4-0) vs Yoshikawa

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

Sunday's main bouts:

Wakanojo vs Chiyotenzan
Gojoro vs Kinkaiyama
Hamanoshima vs Ganyu
Tochinonada vs Asahiyutaka
Dewaarashi vs Kaiho
Shikishima vs Mitoizumi
Asanosho vs Kyokushuzan
Oginishiki vs Higonoumi
Tochinowaka vs Kotoryu
Akinoshima vs Terao
Takatoriki vs Tokitsuumi
Minatofuji vs Tamakasuga
Dejima vs Tosanoumi
Kotonishiki vs Kaio
Chiyotaikai vs Kotonowaka
Musashimaru vs Aogiyama
Musoyama vs Takanonami
Takanohana vs Toki
Tochiazuma vs Wakanohana

Results in Scoreboard

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