Sumo
TOKYO (AP) -- Ozeki (champion) Chiyotaikai remained undefeated at 4-0 along with two other wrestlers on Wednesday, but Hawaii-born yokozuna (grand champion) Akebono withdrew from the 15-day Autumn Grand Sumo tournament because of a thigh injury. Chiyotaikai undefeated,
Akebono withdrawsTied with Chiyotaikai after four days of the tournament are sekiwake (junior champion) Kaio and No. 5 maegashira (junior champion) Miyabiyama.
Wrestling at the Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Arena in downtown Tokyo, Chiyotaikai grabbed No. 3 maegashira Toki's belt in the initial charge and threw him down, leaving Toki at 1-3.
Kaio and Komusubi (junior champion second class) Musoyama clashed hard in the mid-ring and kaio slapped down Musoyama. Musoyama is 2-2.
Miyabiyama pulled down No. 8 maegashira Tochinonada after charging him with a series of hand thrusts. Tochinonada is 1-3.
In the day's final bout, yokozuna Wakanohana fought off No. 2 maegashira Kyokushuzan's initial charge of sidestepping to right and sent him out to improve his record to 2-2.
Kyokushuzan, or Mongolian Batbayar Davaa, is 1-3.
Yokozuna Musashimaru, or Fiamalu Penitani from Hawaii, charged No. 2 maegashira Asanosho with a series of hand thrusts and sent him out for his third victory against one defeat. Asanosho is 1-3.
Ozeki Dejima forced out sekiwake Tosanoumi for his second victory against two defeats and ozeki Takanonami threw down No. 1 maegashira Tochiazuma for his third victory against one defeat. Tosanoumi is 0-4 and Tochiazuma 2-2.
Akebono, or Chad Rowan from Hawaii, suffered a torn muscle in his left thigh when he was thrown out by Kaio on Tuesday for his first upset against two victories.
A spokesman for the Japan Sumo Association quoted a doctor as saying that Akebono needs two months of treatment to recover and he may be out of the next tournament.
Akebono's withdrawal came one day after yokozuna Takanohana's pullout because of a finger injury.
No. 12 maegashira Kyokutenho, or Mongolian Tsevegnyam Nyamjav, forced out No. 13 maegashira Kinkaiyama for his third victory against one defeat. Kinkaiyama is 1-3.
In the juryo division, just below the senior makuuchi division, No. 10-ranked Hoshitango, or Argentine Imach Marcelo Salomon, twisted down No. 7-ranked Daishi for his third victory against one defeat. Daishi is 2-2.
No. 10-ranked Sentoryu, or American Henry Armstrong Miller, was driven out by No. 13-ranked Kitazakura. Both wrestlers are 2-2.
In makushita, the top junior division, No. 6-ranked Wakaazuma (1-1), or Yoshinobu Kuroda from Brazil, forced out equally ranked Ushiomaru.
No. 26-ranked Kuniazuma (2-0), or Brazilian Vander Ramos, threw down equally ranked Yamauchi.
No. 45-ranked Hoshiandesu (2-0), or Argentine Jose Antonio Juarez, lifted out No. 46-ranked Tsuchihashi.
In Sandanme, the second highest junior division, No. 7-ranked Kyokutenzan (2-0), or Mongolian Enkhbat Batmunkha, downed No. 9-ranked Kotohikari with an arm throw.
No. 37-ranked Azumaoh (1-1), or Brazilian Yasuto Morita, was tossed down by equally ranked Tochioh.
In jonidan, the third lowest junior division, No. 160-ranked Ryukizan (1-1), or South Korean Kim Soo-young, threw down No. 2-ranked Majima of jonokuchi, the lowest junior division.
Wrestlers in junior divisions have only seven bouts during the 15-day tournament.
TOKYO, Sept. 15 (Kyodo) -- Ozeki Chiyotaikai turned in yet another solid performance Wednesday to keep his slate clean for a share of the lead with sekiwake Kaio and maegashira Miyabiyama four days into the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament. Chiyotaikai, 2 others share
lead in autumn sumoChiyotaikai opted for a belt-gripping duel instead of a much anticipated exchange of slaps and thrusts before neatly throwing down third-ranked maegashira Toki (1-3) in the middle of the ring at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan.
The victory left Chiyotaikai unbeaten at 4-0 on a day free of major upsets for the first time in the 15-day tournament.
Sekiwake Kaio followed Tuesday's upset win over Akebono with a convincing victory against komusubi Musoyama, rekindling his hopes of earning promotion to ozeki that have long eluded the 27-year-old veteran.
No. 5 maegashira Miyabiyama slapped down eighth-ranked Tochinonada to emerge as a dark horse in a hunt for the Emperor's Cup that has become wide open in the absence of yokozuna Takanohana and Akebono who withdraw Tuesday because of injuries.
Yokozuna Wakanohana rebounded from back-to-back defeats that prompted rumors about his retirement as the Futagoyama stable grand champion overwhelmed Mongolian trickster and No. 2 maegashira Kyokushuzan (1-3) for a force-out victory to improve to 2-2.
Yokozuna Musashimaru (3-1) had an easy time taming second-ranked maegashira Asanosho (1-3), who was driven out of the raised ring by the devastating power of the grand champion.
Newly promoted ozeki Dejima looked to have regained some of his lost form as the Musashigawa stable wrestler shoved out winless sekiwake Tosanoumi for an easy win and pulled his record level at 2-2.
Ozeki Takanonami made the most of his trademark tactics against Tochiazuma (2-2), hurling down the top-ranked maegashira with a powerful arm throw to notch his third victory.
Earlier, Mongolia's Kyokutenho, wrestling as No. 12 maegashira, muscled out 13th-ranked Kinkaiyama (1-3) for his third win.
TOKYO (AP) -- Results of main bouts Wednesday, the fourth day of the 15-day Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Arena: Results of main sumo bouts
Winners Losers
Otsukasa (2-2) Asanowaka (2-2)
Kyokutenho (3-1) Kinkaiyama (1-3)
Ohinode (3-1) Hamanoshima (2-2)
Tokitsuumi (2-2) Higonoumi (2-2)
Kaiho (3-1) Wakanoyama (3-1)
Ganyu (2-2) Kotoryu (1-3)
Aogiyama (2-2) Chiyotenzan (1-3)
Miyabiyama (4-0) Tochinonada (2-2)
Minatofuji (1-3) Terao (1-3)
Shikishima (2-2) Takatoriki (1-3)
Kotonowaka (3-1) Wakanosato (2-2)
Akinoshima (3-1) Kotonishiki (1-3)
Kaio (4-0) Musoyama (2-2)
Dejima (2-2) Tosanoumi (0-4)
Takanonami (3-1) Tochiazuma (2-2)
Chiyotaikai (4-0) Toki (1-3)
Musashimaru (3-1) Asanosho (1-3)
Tamakasuga (3-1) Akebono (2-2) by default
Wakanohana (2-2) Kyokushuzan (1-3)
Juryo Division
Kitazakura (2-2) Sentoryu (2-2)
Hoshitango (3-1) Daishi (2-2)
Junior Divisions:
MakushitaWakaazuma (1-1) Ushiomaru
Kuniazuma (2-0) Yamauchi
Hoshiandesu (2-0) TsuchihashiSandanme
Kyokutenzan (2-0) Kotohikari
Tochioh Azumaoh (1-1)Jonidan
Ryukizan (1-1) Majima
(Junior division wrestlers have only seven bouts during the tournament. Records of foreign wrestlers' opponents were not available.)
Thursday's main bouts:
Otsukasa -- Daizen (juryo)
Kinkaiyama -- Ohinode
Kyokutenho -- Hamanoshima
Asanowaka -- Higonoumi
Kotoryu -- Aogiyama
Tochinonada -- Wakanoyama
Tokitsuumi -- Terao
Chiyotenzan -- Ganyu
Takatoriki -- Minatofuji
Miyabiyama -- Kaiho
Shikishima -- Wakanosato
Toki -- Kotonowaka
Asanosho -- Tosanoumi
Kaio -- Akinoshima
Chiyotaikai -- Kyokushuzan
Dejima -- Tochiazuma
Kotonishiki -- Takanonami
Musoyama -- Wakanohana
Tamakasuga -- Musashimaru
Results in Scoreboard
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