Sumo
NAGOYA, July 16 (Kyodo) -- Resurgent yokozuna Akebono removed another barrier in his quest for his first Emperor's Cup in more than two years Friday as he blasted out ozeki Chiyotaikai to preserve his lead with two days left at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament. Akebono closing in on
rare victory at NagoyaWithout a title since May 1997, Akebono jolted Chiyotaikai backward at the charge in the day's final bout at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium, quickly moving in to finish the job and boost his record in the 15-day tourney to 12-1, while his opponent slipped to 9-4.
Sekiwake Dejima maintained sole possession of second place as he manhandled Takanonami, 8-5, flinging the ozeki to the dirt surface to register his 11th win and keep alive his outside chances of promotion to sumo's second highest rank.
Newly promoted grand champion Musashimaru triumphed in his first showdown with a fellow yokozuna, taking advantage of a hand injury to Takanohana, 9-4, to up his record to 10-3, which gives the Samoan-born giant a mathematical chance of pinching the Emperor's Cup.
Takanohana, the winner in Nagoya the last four years, had looked sharp in his return from injury during the first week of the tourney but hurt his left hand in a bout with Dejima last Monday.
On Friday, Takanohana jumped to the left at the face-off in an effort to protect his injured hand, but Musashimaru was wise to the maneuver and quickly bulldozed his opponent out.
Meanwhile, No. 6 maegashira Musoyama failed to keep pace with his Musashigawa stablemates Dejima and Musashimaru as he lost a battle of strength with in-form komusubi Tosanoumi, who recorded a textbook force-out win to leave both wrestlers at 9-4.
Sekiwake Kaio, who began the tourney with hopes of ozeki promotion, managed to avoid a demotion -- at least for another 24 hours -- by levering out No. 4 maegashira Miyabiyama in an ugly bout to leave both men with identical 6-7 records.
Meanwhile, sekiwake Tochiazuma slipped to the same mark after he was thrown down by fourth-ranked maegashira Minatofuji, who improved to 7-6 with the victory.
It was a mixed day for the makuuchi division's two Mongolians. No. 7 maegashira Kyokushuzan lifted out 15th-ranked Kotoryu, 8-5, to improve to 7-6, while No. 10 maegashira Kyokutenho was easy meat for 12th-ranked Daizen, 4-9, and dropped to 6-7.
NAGOYA, July 16 (Kyodo) -- Yokozuna Takanohana will contest the final two days of the ongoing Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament, despite a dislocated finger which has hampered his wrestling in the second week of the 15-day meet, stable master Futagoyama said Friday. Takanohana to fight on
despite injury to left handTakanohana, who has won the last four tournaments in Nagoya and 20 Emperor's Cups overall, jarred his finger in his loss to sekiwake Dejima last Monday and went on to lose two of his next four bouts as he tried a variety of unorthodox moves to protect his injury.
"He has torn tendons in his middle finger, which is also dislocated. We suspect it may be broken, but he wants to fight so we will respect his wishes," Futagoyama said of the younger of his two yokozuna sons.
Takanohana, making his comeback after missing the summer tourney in May through injury, pulled off an uncharacteristic sidestep maneuver Tuesday to defeat No. 4 maegashira Minatofuji and shoved out fifth-ranked Aogiyama favoring his right hand the following day.
However, he was flattened by komusubi Tosanoumi on Thursday as he tried to step to the right at the charge and suffered the same fate on the 13th day as he attempted a similar move against Samoan-born grand champion Musashimaru.
NAGOYA, Japan (AP) -- Hawaii-born yokozuna (grand champion) Akebono easily drove out ozeki (champion) Chiyotaikai to keep his 12-1 solo lead on Friday, the 13th day of the 15-day Nagoya Grand Sumo tournament. Akebono keeps solo
lead at 12-1Sekiwake (junior champion) Dejima stayed one victory behind at 11-2. Newly promoted Hawaii-born yokozuna Musashimaru moved into third at 10-3 with a victory over yokozuna Takanohana.
Takanohana, at 9-4, is tied for fourth with three wrestlers: Chiyotaikai, No. 6 maegashira (senior wrestler) Musoyama, and komusubi (junior champion second class) Tosanoumi.
Wrestling at the Aichi prefectural gymnasium, Akebono, or Chad Rowan, overwhelmed Chiyotaikai, shoving him back and taking long strides with his powerful legs.
Dejima charged ozeki Takanonami and pushed him backward before sending him tumbling for his fifth loss against eight wins.
In the second to last match of the day, Musashimaru, whose real name is Fiamalu Penitani, grabbed Takanohana's belt and drove him out of the ring.
Earlier, Tosanoumi got a belt hold on Musoyama then drove him back and out of the ring to move into the four-way tie for fourth.
In the juryo division, just below the senior makuuchi division, No. 11-ranked Hoshitango, or Argentine Imach Marcelo Salomon, pulled down No. 4-ranked Gojoro for his seventh victory against six defeats. Gojoro fell to 6-7.
No. 11-ranked Sentoryu, or American Henry Armstrong Miller, was driven out by Tamarikido, the No. 3-ranked of the makushita, the top junior division. Sentoryu fell to 6-7 while Tamarikido improved to 5-2.
In makushita, No. 53-ranked Kuniazuma (6-1), or Brazilian Vander Ramos, was driven out by No. 20-ranked Kototamiya.
No. 45-ranked Kyokutenzan (1-6), or Mongolian Enkhbat Batmunkha, was pushed out by No. 26-ranked Mutsuhokai.
In sandanme, the second-highest junior division, No. 27-ranked Kasugaoh (4-3), or Kim Son-tek from South Korea, lost to No. 20-ranked Tochihisashi. No. 75-ranked Asashoyu (7-0) shoved out No. 12-ranked Wakatenyu.
In jonidan, the third highest junior division, No. 25-ranked Kaihakusan (5-2), or South Korean Baeg Yun-gi, was shoved out by No. 8-ranked Tokiryu.
Wrestlers in junior divisions have only seven bouts during the 15-day tournament.
NAGOYA, Japan (AP) -- Results of main bouts Friday, the 13th day of the 15-day Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament at Aichi Prefectural gymnasium: Results of main sumo bouts
Winners Losers
Asanowaka (8-5) (juryo) Ohinode (6-7)
Daizen (4-9) Kyokutenho (6-7)
Wakanoyama (8-5) Hamanoshima (6-7)
Asanosho (7-6) Yotsukasa (5-8)
Shikishima (7-6) Kotonowaka (8-5)
Kyokushuzan (7-6) Kotoryu (8-5)
Tamakasuga (7-6) Ganyu (8-5)
Terao (8-5) Kaiho (5-8)
Takatoriki (4-9) Higonoumi (1-12)
Wakanosato (3-10) Wakanojo (3-10)
Akinoshima (5-8) Toki (5-8)
Kotonishiki (7-6) Tokitsuumi (7-6)
Aogiyama (5-8) Chiyotenzan (2-11)
Tosanoumi (9-4) Musoyama (9-4)
Minatofuji (7-6) Tochiazuma (6-7)
Kaio (6-7) Miyabiyama (6-7)
Dejima (11-2) Takanonami (8-5)
Musashimaru (10-3) Takanohana (9-4)
Akebono (12-1) Chiyotaikai (9-4)
Juryo Division
Hoshitango (7-6) Gojoro (6-7)
Tamarikido (5-2) Sentoryu (6-7)
Junior Divisions:
Makushita
Kototamiya Kuniazuma (6-1)
Mutsuhokai Kyokutenzan (1-6)Sandanme
Tochihisashi Kasugaoh (4-3)
Asashoyu (7-0) WakatenyuJonidan
Tokiryu Kaihakusan (5-2)(Junior division wrestlers have only seven bouts during the tournament. Records of foreign wrestlers' opponents were not available.)
Saturday's main bouts:
Ohinode Kitakachidoki
Asanowaka Daizen
Wakanojo Kinkaiyama
Kotonowaka Terao
Yotsukasa Kyokutenho
Hamanoshima Tokitsuumi
Kotoryu Shikishima
Wakanoyama Tamakasuga
Takatoriki Ganyu
Asanosho Higonoumi
Wakanosato Kyokushuzan
Kaiho Toki
Kotonishiki Musoyama
Aogiyama Akinoshima
Tosanoumi Chiyotenzan
Tochiazuma Miyabiyama
Minatofuji Dejima
Kaio Chiyotaikai
Akebono Takanohana
Takanonami Musashimaru
Results in Scoreboard
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