Yokozuna Takanohana,
four other wrestlers
share lead

OSAKA -- Takanohana scored his eighth victory against two defeats and shared the lead with four other wrestlers, but his fellow yokozuna (grand champion) Wakanohana withdrew from the tournament Tuesday, 10th day of the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament.

The four wrestlers tied with Takanohana at 8-2 were ozekis (champions) Musashimaru and Takanonami along with lower-ranked wresters -- No. 7 maegashira (senior wrestler) Miyabiyama and No. 9 maegashira Chiyotenzan.

Wakanohana (5-5) suffered a severe thigh injury when he crushed out No. 4 maegashira Tamakasuga in the final bout on Monday.

Wrestling before 8,000 spectators at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Takanohana, seeking his 21st tournament victory, fought off No. 5 maegashira Toki's hand thrusts and crushed him out, leaving Toki at 5-5.

Musashimaru, or Fiamalu Penitani from Hawaii, sent out newly promoted ozeki Chiyotaikai after holding off his foe's series of hand thrusts and pulling attempts. Chiyotaikai is 3-7.

Takanonami twisted down komusubi (junior champion second class) Tochiazuma at the ring's edge, handing Tochiazuma his third defeat against seven victories.

In other major bouts, No. 7 maegashira Miyabiyama charged No. 12 maegashira Kaiho with hand thrusts and crushed him down and No. 9 maegashira Chiyotenzan bulldozed out No. 12 maegashira Gojoro. Kaiho is 6-4 and Gojoro 5-5.

No. 3 maegashira Kyokushuzan, or Mongolian Batbayar Davaa, charged No. 3 maegashira Terao with a series of arm throw attempts and sent him out to improve his record to 5-5. Terao is 2-8.

In the 26-member juryo division, just below the senior makuuchi division, No. 1-ranked Kyokutenho, or Mongolian Tsevegnyam Nyamjav, sent out No. 4-ranked Wakanoyama (7-3) to improve his record to 5-5.

No. 11-ranked Hoshitango, or Argentine Imach Marcelo Salomon, twisted down No. 10-ranked Zenshinyama (3-7) for his fifth victory against five defeats.

In makushita, the top junior division, No. 11-ranked Kaishinzan (2-3), or American Henry Armstrong Miller, was pulled down by No. 15-ranked Tochinoyama.

No. 22-ranked Wakaazuma (2-3), or Yoshinobu Kuroda from Brazil, suffered his third defeat against two victories as he was slapped down by No. 24-ranked Kyokubenten.

No. 46-ranked Kyokutenzan (3-2), or Mongolian Enkhbat Batmunkha, was sent out by No. 44-ranked Fukuseyama.

In jonidan, the third highest junior division, No. 20-ranked Kuniazuma (5-0), or Brazilian Vander Ramos, thrust out No. 36-ranked Mukai.

No. 89-ranked Kin (5-0), or Kim Son-tek from South Korea, crushed down No. 100-ranked Dewanoryu.

In jonokuchi, the lowest junior division, No. 34-ranked Asashoryu (4-1) from Shanghai, China, thrust down No. 27-ranked Seishiro.

Wrestlers in junior divisions have only seven bouts during the 15-day tournament.

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Results in Scoreboard

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