Wakanohana keeps
sole lead at 9-0

TOKYO -- Yokozuna (grand champion) Wakanohana defended his position as the sole leader at 9-0, while ozeki (champion) Musashimaru from Hawaii suffered his fifth upset Monday with six days left in the 15-day New Year Grand Sumo Tournament.

Sekiwake (junior champion) Chiyotaikai stayed one victory behind Wakanohana at 8-1, followed by No. 3 maegashira (rank-and-file) Akinoshima and No. 12 maegashira Hamanoshima at 7-2.

Wrestling before 11,000 spectators, Wakanohana, seeking his sixth tournament victory, fended off No. 4 maegashira Toki's hand thrusts and sent him out of the earthen ring, leaving Toki at 4-5.

Chiyotaikai fought hard against equally-ranked Musoyama and quickly slapped down his opponent, handing Musoyama his third defeat against six victories.

In other major bouts, yokozuna Takanohana grabbed komusubi (junior champion second class) Dejima's belt and bulldozed him out of the ring for his sixth victory against three defeats. Dejima is 4-5.

Sekiwake Kotonowaka defeated Musashimaru after they pushed one another back and forth in a standoff lasting more than 80 seconds. An average sumo bout usually takes no longer than 5 or 10 seconds.

Kotonowaka is 5-4 and Musashimaru, or Fiamalu Penitani, is 4-5.

Ozeki Takanonami threw down No. 5 maegashira Tokitsuumi for his fourth victory against five defeats. Tokitsuumi is 3-6.

Akinoshima beat No. 7 maegashira Higonoumi, while Hamanoshima downed No. 12 maegashira Oginishiki with an arm throw. Higonoumi is 6-3 and Oginishiki is 5-4.

Komusubi (junior champion second class) Kotonishiki, the winner of the previous tournament in November, sent out No. 1 maegashira Tosanoumi from behind, leaving both wrestlers at 3-6.

No. 8 maegashira Kyokushuzan, or Mongolian Batbayar Davaa, threw down winless No. 14 maegashira Kinkaiyama for his fourth victory against five defeats.

In the juryo division, just below the top makuuchi division, No. 9-ranked Hoshitango, or Argentine Imach Marcelo Salomon, was pushed out by No. 10-ranked Mainoumi (7-2) who sidestepped and dodged Hoshitango's charges.

No. 6-ranked Kyokutenho, or Mongolian Tsevegnyam Nyamjav, forced out No. 12-ranked Koho, leaving both wrestlers at 5-4.

In makushita, the top junior division, No. 14-ranked Kaishinzan (2-3), or Henry Armstrong Miller of the United States, pulled down No. 12-ranked Shinmei.

No. 30-ranked Wakaazuma (3-2), or Yoshinobu Kuroda of Brazil, threw down No. 32-ranked Umenosato. No. 35-ranked Kyokutenzan (2-3), or Mongolian Enkhbat Batmunkha, was driven out by No. 40-ranked Natsubori.

In the lowest-ranked division of jonokuchi, South Korean wrestler Kim Son Tek (5-0), threw down No. 30-ranked Hamabe.

Wrestlers in junior divisions have only seven bouts during the tournament.

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Results in Scoreboard

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