Akebono one step away
from championship

The yokozuna only has to face fellow
Hawaii yokuzuna Musashimaru

NAGOYA, July 17 (Kyodo) - Akebono showed little compassion for an injured Takanohana on Saturday, clinically shoving out his rival yokozuna to keep his nose ahead of sekiwake Dejima going into the final day of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament.

Chasing his first Emperor's Cup since May 1997, Akebono burst aggressively out of the blocks in the day's penultimate bout at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium and faced little resistance from his nemesis as he boosted his record to 13-1 in the 15-day meet.

Takanohana, who dislocated the middle finger on his left hand in his defeat to Dejima last Monday, could do little but paw at Akebono with his right hand and hope for an opening, but the Hawaiian-born giant was in an uncharitable mood and duly handed him his fifth loss.

Dejima registered a personal-best 12th win as he bundled out fourth-ranked maegashira Minatofuji, 7-7, and could still pinch the championship - and ozeki promotion as a bonus - via a playoff if he wins and Akebono loses in Sunday's regulation bouts.

Meanwhile, newly promoted yokozuna Musashimaru showed the form that won him back-to-back titles at this year's spring and summer tournaments by suffocating ozeki Takanonami, 8-6, at the charge and quickly forcing him out to improve his record to 11-3.

Sekiwake Kaio, who began the tourney with hopes of making ozeki, again managed to avoid a demotion - at least until his meeting with Takanonami on the final day - as he got inside on Chiyotaikai, 9-5, and drove the ozeki out to even his record at 7-7.

Tosanoumi secured double-digit wins by spinning round and running out Chiyotenzan, 2-12, in a battle of komusubi who will be going in different directions when the rankings for the autumn meet are announced Aug. 30.

Sixth-ranked maegashira Musoyama improved to an identical 10-4 mark as he twisted down No. 1 maegashira Kotonishiki, who will need to defeat rank-and-filer Wakanoyama on Sunday to clinch his majority of wins and avoid a demotion next time out.

The makuuchi division's two Mongolians will also be passing each other on the ladder for the autumn rankings as No. 7 maegashira Kyokushuzan notched his eighth win, while 10th-ranked Kyokutenho slipped to 6-8.

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Akebono keeps lead going
into last day of tournament

NAGOYA, Japan (AP) - Hawaii-born yokozuna (grand champion) Akebono drove out yokozuna Takanohana on Saturday to keep his solo lead going into the final day of the 15-day Nagoya Grand Sumo tournament.

Akebono used his upper body strength to overwhelm Takanohana, one of Japan's most popular wrestlers. The victory raised Akebono's record to 13-1, while Takanohana fell to 9-5.

Staying one victory behind Akebono was sekiwake (junior champion) Dejima, who won Saturday by throwing No. 4 maegashira (senior wrestler) Minatofuji out of the ring.

Newly promoted Hawaii-born yokozuna Musashimaru also won, driving out ozeki (champion) Takanonami. But with an 11-3 record, Musashimaru, whose real name is Fiamalu Penitani, is out of contention to win the tournament.

A win Sunday would clinch the title for Akebono, or Chad Rowan.

In Saturday's bout at the Aichi prefectural gymnasium, Akebono watched his opponent warily as he entered the ring, and both wrestlers seemed to hesitate before charging each other.

But in a convincing display that the tournament was not over yet, Dejima threw Minatofuji into the crowd to advance to 11-2. Minatofuji fell to 7-7.

In other major bouts, No. 7 maegashira Kyokushuzan thrust out his opponent, No. 2 maegashira Wakanosato. Kyokushuzan, or Mongolian Batbayar Davaa, rose to 8-6, Wakanosato fell to 3-11.

Fellow Mongolian No. 10 maegashira Kyokutenho, or Tsevegnyam Nyamjav, lost after being driven from the ring by No. 12 maegashira Yotsukasa, leaving both wrestlers at 6-8.

In the juryo division, just below the senior makuuchi division, No. 11-ranked Hoshitango, or Argentine Imach Marcelo Salomon, drove No. 5-ranked Kotoinazuma out of the ring for his eighth victory against six defeats. Kotoinazuma fell to 3-11.

No. 11-ranked Sentoryu, or American Henry Armstrong Miller, shoved out No. 7-ranked Takanowaka. Sentoryu rose to 7-7 while Takanowaka fell to 8-6.

In makushita, the top junior division, No. 39-ranked Hoshiandesu (3-4), or Argentine Jose Antonio Juarez, was pushed out by Wakatenro.

In sandanme, the second-highest junior division, No. 54-ranked Azumaoh, or Brazilian Yasuto Morita, drove out Wakasuruga to rise to 4-3.

No. 51-ranked Ryuo (3-4), or Wang Yu from Shanghai, China, knocked down his opponent, Kototaishu.

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

No. 9 maegashira
Tochinowaka to retire

NAGOYA, July 17 (Kyodo) - Ninth-ranked maegashira Tochinowaka, at 37 the oldest wrestler in sumo's top division, will retire after the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament finishes Sunday, sumo officials said Saturday.

Tochinowaka, who belongs to the Kasugano stable, will become a sumo elder to be named Takenawa, the officials said.

He posted a 2-8 win-loss record before injuries forced him to quit the Nagoya tourney on its 10th day.

Tochinowaka, a native of Wakayama Prefecture and a graduate of Meiji University, started his pro career in 1985.

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14th-day results in
Nagoya sumo tourney

NAGOYA, July 17 (Kyodo) - Makuuchi division results Saturday, the 14th day of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium (+ indicates juryo division wrestler):

Won Technique Lost

+Kitakachidoki 8-6 makiotoshi Ohinode 6-8
Daizen 5-9 oshidashi +Asanowaka 8-6
+Kinkaiyama 9-5 yorikiri Wakanojo 3-11
Kotonowaka 9-5 katasukashi Terao 8-6
Yotsukasa 6-8 yorikiri Kyokutenho 6-8
Tokitsuumi 8-6 yorikiri Hamanoshima 6-8
Shikishima 8-6 yorikiri Kotoryu 8-6
Tamakasuga 8-6 yorikiri Wakanoyama 8-6
Ganyu 9-5 oshidashi Takatoriki 4-10
Asanosho 8-6 tsukidashi Higonoumi 1-13
Kyokushuzan 8-6 kimedashi Wakanosato 3-11
Toki 6-8 tsukiotoshi Kaiho 5-9
Musoyama 10-4 uwatenage Kotonishiki 7-7
Akinoshima 6-8 oshidashi Aogiyama 5-9
Tosanoumi 10-4 okuridashi Chiyotenzan 2-12
Miyabiyama 7-7 yorikiri Tochiazuma 6-8
Dejima 12-2 sukuinage Minatofuji 7-7
Kaio 7-7 yoritaoshi Chiyotaikai 9-5
Akebono 13-1 oshidashi Takanohana 9-5
Musashimaru 11-3 yorikiri Takanonami 8-6

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Juryo Division

Hoshitango (8-6) Kotoinazuma (3-11)
Sentoryu (7-7) Takanowaka (8-6)

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Junior Divisions:

Makushita
Wakatenro Hoshiandesu (3-4)

Sandanme
Ryuo (3-4) Wakasuruga
Azumaoh (4-3) Kototaishu

(Junior division wrestlers have only seven bouts during the tournament. Records of foreign wrestlers' opponents were not available.)

Sunday's bouts

+Kinkaiyama x - x Daizen
Yotsukasa x - x +Asanowaka
Wakanojo x - x +Mainoumi
Kotonowaka 0 - 0 Kyokutenho
Asanosho 5 - 5 Shikishima
Kyokushuzan 5 - 4 Terao
Tokitsuumi 1 - 0 Tamakasuga
Musoyama 4 - 0 Ganyu
Aogiyama 2 - 0 Ohinode
Miyabiyama 0 - 0 Kotoryu
Takatoriki 0 - 2 Toki
Wakanosato 3 - 0 Hamanoshima
Higonoumi 5 - 10 Akinoshima
Kotonishiki 0 - 0 Wakanoyama
Kaiho 0 - 1 Chiyotenzan
Tosanoumi 6 - 1 Minatofuji
Tochiazuma 4 - 4 Dejima
Takanonami 19 - 13 Kaio
Chiyotaikai 2 - 4 Takanohana
Akebono 20 - 14 Musashimaru

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Results in Scoreboard

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