Sumo
NAGOYA, July 6 (Kyodo) -- Musashimaru tasted defeat for the first time as a yokozuna Tuesday, but Hawaiian-born grand champion Akebono showed no such jitters as he posted a devastating win to maintain a share of the lead on 3-0 at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament. ’Maru slips up, Akebono
turns on jets at NagoyaMusashimaru, promoted to sumo's premier rank after winning the Emperor's Cup at the summer tourney in May, got into trouble early in his bout with top maegashira Akinoshima at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium and never looked like recovering.
Latching onto the front of Musashimaru's belt, Akinoshima, 1-2, slipped to the side and, at the second attempt, pulled out a nifty arm throw to send his larger opponent crashing to the dirt surface and further enhance his giant-killing reputation.
Akebono showed he has still not passed his sell-by date with a crunching win over Wakanosato, 0-3, marching straight ahead with both hands locked on the second-ranked maegashira's neck before sending him somersaulting into the ringside cushions.
Meanwhile, Takanohana -- another yokozuna making his comeback from injury -- showed signs of his old dominating form as he closed down the offense of sekiwake Tochiazuma and gradually muscled him back to the edge of the ring and out to leave both wrestlers at 2-1.
Ozeki Takanonami also improved to 2-1 in the 15-day meet by locking up nemesis Kotonishiki, 1-2, with an arm-bar hold and pirouetting the top-ranked maegashira out to inch ahead 19-18 in their head-to-head series.
Chiyotaikai, who needs a winning record to avoid demotion from the ozeki ranks, looked solid as he absorbed the best shots of No. 2 maegashira Toki, 0-3, before blasting him off the raised ring to improve to 2-1.
However, perennial ozeki candidate Kaio -- chasing a 12-win target which would put him in line for promotion from sekiwake -- bent the knee to No. 3 maegashira Takatoriki, 1-2, to drop his second straight and put his ozeki hopes in jeopardy.
Meanwhile, sekiwake Dejima and komusubi Tosanoumi both won in style to boost their records to 3-0, leaving them tied with Akebono and rank-and-filers Asanosho, Tokitsuumi and Wakanoyama at the top of the leaderboard.
It was a mixed day for the makuuchi division's two Mongolian wrestlers as No. 7 maegashira Kyokushuzan, 2-1, lost to Asanosho, while 10th-ranked Kyokutenho defeated winless Tochinowaka to improve to 2-1.
NAGOYA, Japan (AP) -- Newly promoted Hawaii-born yokozuna (grand champion) Musashimaru suffered an upset defeat Tuesday, the third day of the 15-day Nagoya Grand Sumo tournament. Musashimaru suffers upset
Akebono, also from Hawaii, remained undefeated at 3-0 and his fellow yokozuna Takanohana scored his second victory against one defeat.
Wrestling at Aiichi Prefectural gymnasium, Musashimaru, whose real name is Fiamalu Penitani, tried to drive out No. 1 maegashira (senior wrestler) Akinoshima in the initial charge.
But Akinoshima fought off and threw down Musashimaru for his first victory against two defeats. Musashimaru is 2-1.
Akebono, or Chad Rowan, charged with a fierce hand thrust against winless No. 2 maegashira Wakanosato's throat and bulldozed him out.
In the day's final bout, Takanohana grabbed sekiwake (junior champion) Tochiazuma's belt tightly and forced him out, handing Tochiazuma his first defeat against two victories.
Ozeki Takanonami held off No. 1 maegashira Kotonishiki's driving attempt at the ring's edge and threw him down for his second victory against one defeat. Kotonishiki is 1-2.
Ozeki Chiyotaikai charged winless No. 2 maegashira Toki with hand thrusts and sent him out for his second victory against one defeat.
Sekiwake (junior champion) Kaio, seeking a promotion to ozeki by winning at least 10 bouts in this tournament, suffered his second defeat against one victory as he was pushed out by No. 3 maegashira Takatoriki.
In other major bouts, No. 8 maegashira Asanosho charged No. 7 maegashira Kyokushuzan, or Mongolian Batbayar Davaa, with hand thrusts and sent him out for his third victory against no defeats. Kyokushuzan is 2-1.
No. 10 maegashira Kyokutenho, or Mongolian Tsevegnyam Nyamjav, drove out winless No. 9 maegashira Tochinowaka for his second victory against one defeat.
In juryo division, just below the senior makuuchi division, No. 11-ranked Hoshitango, or Argentine Imach Marcelo Salomon, thrust out No. 9-ranked Kobo, leaving both wrestlers at 2-1.
No. 11-ranked Sentoryu, or American Henry Armstrong Miller, picked up his first victory against two defeats by slapping down No. 10-ranked Dewataira (1-2).
In makushita, the top junior division, No. 45-ranked Kyokutenzan (0-2), or Mongolian Enkhbat Batmunkha, was pushed out by No. 46-ranked Kounoryu.
In sandanme, the second-highest junior division, No. 54-ranked Azumaoh (1-1), or Brazilian Yasuto Morita, threw down equally-ranked Hayasegawa.
In jonidan, the third-highest junior division, No. 25-ranked Kaihakusan (2-0), or South Korean Baeg Yun-gi, sent out equally-ranked Chiyotaka.
Wrestlers in junior divisions have only seven bouts during the 15-day tournament.
Results of main bouts Tuesday:
Ganyu (1-2) Ohinode (0-3) Winners Losers
Wakanoyama (3-0) Kotoryu (2-1)
Tokitsuumi (3-0) Yotsukasa (2-1)
Terao (2-1) Daizen (0-3)
Kotonowaka (2-1) Wakanojo (0-3)
Kyokutenho (2-1) Tochinowaka (0-3)
Shikishima (2-1) Hamanoshima (1-2)
Asanosho (3-0) Kyokushuzan (2-1)
Tamakasuga (2-1) Aogiyama (2-1)
Musoyama (1-2) Minatofuji (0-2)
Kaiho (2-1) Miyabiyama (1-2)
Tosanoumi (3-0) Higonoumi (1-2)
Dejima (3-0) Chiyotenzan (0-3)
Takatoriki (1-2) Kaio (1-2)
Chiyotaikai (2-1) Toki (0-3)
Takanonami (2-1) Kotonishiki (1-2)
Akinoshima (1-2) Musashimaru (2-1)
Akebono (3-0) Wakanosato (0-3)
Takanohana (2-1) Tochiazuma (2-1)
Juryo Division
Sentoryu (1-2) Dewataira (1-2)
Hoshitango (2-1) Kobo (2-1)
Junior Divisions:
Makushita
Kounoryu Kyokutenzan (0-2)Sandanme
Azumaoh (1-1) HayasegawaJonidan
Kaihakusan (2-0) Chiyonotaka(Junior division wrestlers have only seven bouts during the tournament. Records of foreign wrestlers' opponents were not available.)
Wednesday's main bouts:
Tokitsuumi -- Ohinode
Ganyu -- Wakanoyama
Yotsukasa -- Kotoryu
Kotonowaka -- Daizen
Hamanoshima -- Terao
Wakanojo -- Tochinowaka
Kyokutenho -- Asanosho
Kyokushuzan -- Tamakasuga
Aogiyama -- Shikishima
Musoyama -- Kaiho
Takatoriki -- Minatofuji
Tochiazuma -- Akinoshima
Kotonishiki -- Dejima
Kaio -- Chiyotenzan
Takanonami -- Miyabiyama
Higonoumi -- Chiyotaikai
Toki -- Takanohana
Wakanosato -- Musashimaru
Akebono -- Tosanoumi
Results in Scoreboard
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