Dejima stuns Akebono
to win Nagoya sumo

NAGOYA, July 18 (Kyodo) -- Sekiwake Dejima pulled off a stunning come-from-behind victory Sunday, blasting out yokozuna Akebono in a playoff to lift his first Emperor's Cup after results went his way on the final day of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament.

Dejima bumped out fellow sekiwake Tochiazuma, 6-9, in his regulation bout to finish with a personal-best 13-2 record, but then faced a nervous wait while overnight leader Akebono strutted his stuff in the day's final match at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium.

Yokozuna Musashimaru, Dejima's senior mate at the Musashigawa stable, proved cooperative and boosted his own record in the 15-day day meet to 12-3 as he quickly dragged Akebono to the dirt in the final bout, leaving the Azumazeki stable grand champion stuck on 13-2.

Dejima, whose promotion to sumo's second highest rank of ozeki is expected to be approved by the Japan Sumo Association (JSA) on Wednesday, showed no signs of nerves in the playoff, jumping to the left at the face-off and throwing Akebono off-balance.

Before the giant Hawaiian had time to recover, Dejima -- who defeated Akebono on the seventh day of the tourney to improve to 5-2 in their head-to-head series -- pivoted and began to unload with a barrage of thrusts to the chest of his surprised opponent.

Moments later, it was all over as Dejima, who also walked away with a clean sweep of the three special prizes awarded by the sumo association on the final day of a tournament, shoved Akebono over the straw ridge for an emotional victory.

"It was incredibly tough to win twice today, but I'll try to keep improving as ozeki. The support of the crowd today gave me goose bumps," Dejima said of the spectators, who serenaded him as he prepared for the playoff.

The Musashigawa stable wrestler scooped the Outstanding Performance Award, Technique Prize and Fighting Spirit Prize, while komusubi Tosanoumi, who threw down No. 4 maegashira Minatofuji, 7-8, to finish on 11-4, won his fifth Fighting Spirit Prize.

In other bouts, ozeki Chiyotaikai finished with 10 wins after flipping out banged-up yokozuna Takanohana, 9-6, while Kaio -- who began the tourney with hopes of making ozeki -- at least avoided a demotion by marching out ozeki Takanonami, leaving both men on 8-7.

Sixth-ranked maegashira Musoyama, meanwhile, assured himself a substantial rise in the rankings for the autumn meet in Tokyo by waltzing out 14th-ranked Ganyu, 9-6, to finish joint third with Tosanoumi on 11-4.

The makuuchi division's two Mongolians rounded out the tourney in style as No. 7 maegashira Kyokushuzan powered out 11th-ranked Terao, 8-7, to improve to 9-6, while Kyokutenho finished on 7-8 after upsetting Kotonowaka, 9-6, in a battle of 10th-ranked maegashira.

Results from final day
of Nagoya sumo tourney

NAGOYA, July 18 (Kyodo) -- Results of makuuchi division bouts Sunday, the final day of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium (+ denotes juryo division wrestler):

Won -- Record -- Technique -- Lost -- Record

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

Championship playoff

Dejima -- oshidashi -- Akebono

---

Division winners

Makuuchi -- Dejima, Musashigawa stable, 13-2 (winner in playoff)
Juryo -- Kinkaiyama, Dewanoumi stable, 10-5 (winner in playoff)
Makushita -- Kototamiya, Sadogatake stable, 7-0
Sandanme -- Asashoryu, Wakamatsu stable, 7-0
Jonidan -- Hokutoarashi, Hakkaku stable, 7-0 (winner in playoff)
Jonokuchi -- Hasegawa, Magaki stable, 6-1 (winner in playoff)

---

Special awards for makuuchi division wrestlers

Outstanding Performance Award -- Dejima, Musashigawa stable (3rd)
Technique Prize -- Dejima (3rd)
Fighting Spirit Prize -- Dejima (3rd), Tosanoumi, Isenoumi stable (5th)

---

Results in Scoreboard

For more sumo information online, try:
Sumo Web
Da Kine Sumo E-zine
Ozumo
Kyodo News Service