Sumo
NAGOYA, Japan (AP) -- Hawaii-born yokozuna (grand champion) Akebono sent out lower-ranked Kaio to claim a 9-1 record and a two-way lead with sekiwake (junior champion) Dejima on Tuesday, the 10th day of the 15-day Nagoya Grand Sumo tournament. Akebono, Dejima
share lead at 9-1One victory behind the co-leaders at 8-2 are yokozuna Takanohana and ozeki (champion) Chiyotaikai.
Newly promoted Hawaii-born yokozuna Musashimaru picked up his seventh victory against three defeats.
In the day's final bout before 75,000 spectators at the Aichi Prefectural gymnasium, Akebono, whose real name is Chad Rowan, charged sekiwake Kaio with hand thrusts against his opponent's throat and sent him out, leaving Kaio at 3-7.
Dejima fought off Chiyotaikai's charge of pushing attempts by turning around the ring and slapped him down at the ring's edge, handing Chiyotaikai his second defeat.
Takanohana sidestepped to left in the initial charge and threw down No. 4 maegashira Minatofuji, leaving Minatofuji at 6-4.
Musashimaru sent out No. 3 maegashira Higonoumi after fighting off his opponent's pulling attempts. Musashimaru, whose real name is Fiamalu Penitani, is 7-3 and Higonoumi 1-9.
Ozeki Takanonami held on No. 5 maegashira Aogiyama's driving attempt at the ring's edge and threw him down for his seventh victory against three defeats. Aogiyama is 4-6.
In other major bouts, No. 14 maegashira Ohinode drove out No. 10 maegashira Kyokutenho, or Mongolian Tsevegnyam Nyamjav, leaving both wrestlers at 5-5.
No. 7 maegashira Kyokushuzan, or Mongolian Batbayar Davaa, picked up his sixth victory against four defeat by pushing down No. 13 maegashira Tokitsuumi in the middle of the ring.
In the juryo division, just below the senior makuuchi division, No. 11-ranked Hoshitango, or Argentine Imach Marcelo Salomon, thrust down No. 4-ranked Dewaarashi for his sixth victory against four defeats. Dewaarashi is 4-6.
No. 11-ranked Sentoryu, or American Henry Armstrong Miller, was slapped down by No. 2-ranked Kotoiwakuni (4-2) of makushita, the top junior division, for his sixth defeat against four victories.
In makushita, No. 11-ranked Wakaazuma (3-2), or Yoshinobu Kuroda from Brazil, was pushed out by No. 17-ranked Komahikari.
No. 53-ranked Kuniazuma (5-0), or Brazilian Vander Ramos, sent out No. 7-ranked Segoryu.
In sandanme, the second-highest junior division, No. 51-ranked Ryuo (2-3), Wang Yu from Shanghai, China, was sent out by No. 54-ranked Hayasegawa.
No. 75-ranked Asashoryu, or Mongolian Dolgorsvren Dagvadrj, remained undefeated at 5-0 by crushing down No. 67-ranked Koshiba.
In jonidan, the third-highest junior division, No. 25-ranked Kaihakusan (4-1), South Korean Baeg Yun-gi, twisted down No. 21-ranked Hokutojo.
No. 146-ranked Kotonomori (3-2), or Brazilian Mario Fuchiue, pulled down No. 148-ranked Asahinada.
Wrestlers in junior divisions have only seven bouts during the 15-day tournament.
NAGOYA, July 13 (Kyodo) -- Yokozuna Akebono and sekiwake Dejima kept their noses in front of the chasing pack Tuesday as both wrestlers improved to 9-1 with clutch wins on the 10th day of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament. Akebono, Dejima still tied
for lead at Nagoya sumoDejima ran into a brick wall in the shape of Chiyotaikai in the day's feature bout, but got lucky when the ozeki -- who also began the day with an 8-1 record -- lost his balance at the crucial moment, to the amazement of a packed crowd at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium.
Chiyotaikai backed his opponent to the edge of the ring with some pulverizing blows before slipping as he went for the kill and touching down a split second before Dejima, who pivoted on top of the straw bails just long enough to get the decision.
Akebono, however, faced little resistance from Kaio, 3-7, quickly getting a throat hold on the slumping sekiwake and levering him out with the minimum of fuss to stay in the hunt for his first Emperor's Cup triumph since May 1997.
Grand champion Takanohana took even less time to dispose of Minatofuji, 6-4, as he jumped to his right at the charge and dragged down the No. 4 maegashira in a flash to join Chiyotaikai at 8-2 in the 15-day meet.
Newly promoted yokozuna Musashimaru lost his balance twice in the day's penultimate bout, but kept his footing long enough to bump out No. 3 maegashira Higonoumi, 1-9, and improve to 7-3.
Ozeki Takanonami also registered his seventh win of the tournament as he pulled out a throw under pressure from fifth-ranked maegashira Aogiyama, who slipped to 4-6 with the loss.
Komusubi Tosanoumi upped his record to 6-4 by pulling down sekiwake Tochiazuma, 5-5, while No. 3 maegashira Takatoriki won for just the third time this tourney as he made komusubi Chiyotenzan, 2-8, see stars after delivering a trademark roundhouse slap to the head.
It was a mixed day for the makuuchi division's two Mongolians. No. 7 maegashira Kyokushuzan notched his sixth win by throwing down 13th-ranked Tokitsuumi, 6-4, while No. 10 maegashira Kyokutenho was muscled out by 14th-ranked Ohinode, leaving both men at 5-5.
NAGOYA, Japan (AP) -- Results of main bouts Tuesday, the 10th day of the 15-day Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament at Aiichi Prefectural gymnasium: Results of Main Sumo Bouts
Winners, Losers
Yotsukasa (5-5) Wakanoyama (6-4)
Ganyu (7-3) Kotonowaka (6-4)
Ohinode (5-5) Kyokutenho (5-5)
Hamanoshima (5-5) Kotoryu (6-4)
Terao (5-5) Tochinowaka (2-8) by default
Asanosho (4-6) Daizen (1-9)
Kyokushuzan (6-4) Tokitsuumi (6-4)
Shikishima (6-4) Musoyama (7-3)
Wakanojo (3-7) Kaiho (4-6)
Miyabiyama (5-5) Tamakasuga (5-5)
Toki (3-7) Wakanosato (1-9)
Kotonishiki (5-5) Akinoshima (4-6)
Takatoriki (3-7) Chiyotenzan (2-8)
Tosanoumi (6-4) Tochiazuma (5-5)
Takanonami (7-3) Aogiyama (4-6)
Dejima (9-1) Chiyotaikai (8-2)
Takanohana (8-2) Minatofuji (6-4)
Musashimaru (7-3) Higonoumi (1-9)
Akebono (9-1) Kaio (3-7)
Juryo Division
Kotoiwakuni (makushita) (4-2) Sentoryu (4-6)Hoshitango (6-4) Dewaarashi (4-6)
Junior Divisions:
Makushita
Komahikari Wakaazuma (3-2)
Kuniazuma (5-0) SeigoryuSandanme
Hayasegawa Ryuo (2-3)
Asashoyu (5-0) KoshibaJonidan
Kaihakusan (4-1) Hokutojo
Kotonomori (3-2) Asahinada(Junior division wrestlers have only seven bouts during the tournament. Records of foreign wrestlers' opponents were not available.)
Kotoryu Kinkaiyama (juryo) Wednesday's main bouts
Yotsukasa Daizen
Wakanojo Terao
Hamanoshima Ganyu
Ohinode Asanosho
Tokitsuumi Shikishima
Kyokushuzan Wakanoyama
Kyokutenho Tamakasuga
Kotonowaka Kaiho
Miyabiyama Higonoumi
Musoyama Akinoshima
Kotonishiki Toki
Tosanoumi Wakanosato
Tochiazuma Chiyotenzan
Kaio Dejima
Takanonami Chiyotaikai
Akebono Takatoriki
Aogiyama Takanohana
Minatofuji Musashimaru
Results in Scoreboard
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Kyodo News Service