Dejima chokes, yokozuna
pair catches up at Kyushu

FUKUOKA, Nov. 19 (Kyodo) -- Ozeki Dejima fluffed his lines again Friday as he lost his second straight bout, while yokozuna duo Takanohana and Musashimaru both improved to 10-3 to make the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament a three-man race.

Dejima, desperate to chalk up win No. 11, burst from the blocks in typical fashion but lurched forward too quickly and handed the initiative to sekiwake Tochiazuma (9-4), who had enough tools to finish the job at Fukuoka Kokusai Center.

Seeing Dejima off balance, Tochiazuma simply stepped to the right and flipped down his opponent, who is chasing his second Emperor's Cup after winning this year's Nagoya tourney.

Meanwhile, Takanohana continued his revival, making mincemeat of ozeki Chiyotaikai (8-5) to notch 10 wins for the first time in an injury-plagued year.

Chiyotaikai bloodied Takanohana's nose at the charge, but got stuck like a fly on the windscreen as the yokozuna locked onto the front of the belt with both hands and methodically cranked the Kyushu native backwards and out in textbook style.

Musashimaru's win was less pretty, but no less effective against stumbling ozeki Takanonami, who faces demotion from sumo's second highest rank after losing for the seventh time in the 15-day meet following a losing record in the autumn.

Takanonami came in fast and low at the charge and tried to lever Musashimaru out with an arm-bar throw, but the Samoan-born giant used his 224-kilogram bulk to flatten the ozeki from behind despite an unfavorable angle of attack.

Sekiwake Kaio boosted his record to 9-4 by muscling out No. 5 maegashira Toki (8-5), while komusubi Musoyama barged his way to the same 9-4 mark in a scrappy bout against fourth-ranked Aogiyama (4-9).

Komusubi Tosanoumi choked for the second day running and fell to 9-4 as he was squashed to the dirt surface by No. 2 maegashira Kotonishiki (6-7), who sensationally won last year's Kyushu tourney from a No. 12 rank.

Tochinonada, a No. 12 maegashira, completes the five-man group on 9-4 after outfoxing 10th-ranked Hamanoshima (6-7) at the charge.

It was a bad day for Mongolia, however, as No. 3 maegashira Kyokushuzan crashed to his 10th loss against fifth-ranked Kotonowaka (6-7), while No. 8 maegashira Kyokutenho slipped to 5-8 and will also face demotion at the New Year tourney in Tokyo.

Results of main bouts on 13th day of Kyushu sumo

FUKUOKA, Nov. 19 (Kyodo) -- Results of makuuchi division bouts Friday, the 13th day of the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament at Fukuoka Kokusai Center (+ denotes juryo division wrestler):

Won Technique Lost

Daizen 5-8 uwatedashinage +Kitakachidoki 4-9
+Oikari 11-2 tsukidashi Ohinode 7-6
Takanowaka 8-5 uwatenage Kaiho 7-6
Tochinonada 9-4 tsukiotoshi Hamanoshima 6-7
Asanowaka 8-5 makiotoshi Shikishima 7-6
Otsukasa 7-6 yorikiri Chiyotenzan 7-6
Higonoumi 7-6 uwatenage Tokitsuumi 8-5
Minatofuji 7-6 shitatenage Kyokutenho 5-8
Asanosho 3-10 hatakikomi Wakanoyama 5-8
Kotonowaka 6-7 hikiotoshi Kyokushuzan 3-10
Kotoryu 8-5 oshidashi Miyabiyama 6-7
Tamakasuga 3-10 hikiotoshi Takatoriki 2-11
Kotonishiki 6-7 yoritaoshi Tosanoumi 9-4
Terao 5-8 hatakikomi Akinoshima 3-10
Musoyama 9-4 oshidashi Aogiyama 4-9
Kaio 9-4 yorikiri Toki 8-5
Tochiazuma 9-4 tsukiotoshi Dejima 10-3
Takanohana 10-3 yorikiri Chiyotaikai 8-5
Musashimaru 10-3 yoritaoshi Takanonami 6-7

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Tomorrow's matches

+Oikari x - x Takanowaka
+Dewaarashi x - x Daizen
Kaiho 2 - 1 Tokitsuumi
Asanowaka 0 - 2 Ohinode
Tochinonada 0 - 3 Chiyotenzan
Minatofuji 0 - 0 Otsukasa
Shikishima 4 - 7 Higonoumi
Terao 0 - 2 Wakanoyama
Kyokutenho 4 - 1 Asanosho
Takatoriki 8 - 3 Hamanoshima
Tamakasuga 5 - 2 Kyokushuzan
Kotonishiki 0 - 0 Miyabiyama
Musoyama 3 - 1 Kotoryu
Kotonowaka 9 - 7 Tosanoumi
Aogiyama 5 - 6 Akinoshima
Kaio 4 - 7 Tochiazuma
Takanonami 2 - 1 Toki
Musashimaru 4 - 5 Chiyotaikai
Dejima 2 - 6 Takanohana

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Dejima suffers third defeat,
now shares lead

FUKUOKA, Japan (AP) -- Ozeki (champion) Dejima lost his sole lead Friday after suffering his third defeat with two days left in the 15-day Kyushu Grand Sumo tournament.

Yokozunas (grand champions) Musashimaru and Takanohana are now tied with Dejima at 10-3.

Komusubi (junior champion second class) Tosanoumi, who was tied for second on Thursday, fell to 9-4 after a defeat by second-ranked maegashira (senior wrestler) Kotonishiki, who is now 6-7.

Wrestling at Fukuoka Kokusai Center, Dejima, seeking his first tournament victory, was thrown out by sekiwake (junior champion) Tochiazuma.

Tochiazuma almost succeeded in pushing out Dejima at the rim, but Dejima recovered from the first thrust. Tochiazuma lunged again, locking his arm underneath Dejima's to throw him from the ring.

In the second-to-last bout, Takanohana and ozeki Chiyotaikai locked belts before Chiyotaikai was pushed out. Chiyotaikai is 8-5.

In the final bout, Hawaii-born yokozuna Musashimaru, whose real name is Fiamalu Penitani, pushed out ozeki Takanoami, who had locked his arm underneath the Hawaiian's in a failed attempt to push him out at the rim.

That left Takanoami 6-7.

In the day's most charged bout, Kotonishiki almost catapulted Tosanoumi at the rim, but failed. Kotonishiki then grabbed Tosanoumi's belt and bulldozed him from the ring.

Fifth-ranked maegashira Kotonowaka pulled down third-ranked maegashira Kyokushuzan, or Mongolian Batbayar Davaa, for his sixth win against seven losses. Kyokushuzan is 3-10.

Seventh-ranked maegashira Minatofuji used an underarm throw to beat eighth-ranked Kyokutenho, or Mongolian Tsevegnyam Nyamjav, for his seventh win against six losses. Kyokutenho is 5-8.

In the 26-member juryo division, No. 8-ranked Hoshitango, or Imach Marcelo Salomon of Argentina, pulled down fifth-ranked Oginishiki for his eighth win against five losses. Oginishiki is 9-4.

No. 13-ranked Sentoryu, or American Henry Armstrong Miller, slapped down fourth-ranked Susanoumi for his seventh win against six losses, rendering Susanoumi 5-8.

In the top junior makushita division, No. 52-ranked Hoshiandesu (6-1), or Argentine Jose Antonio Juarez, threw 42nd-ranked Fukuseyama.

No. 66-ranked Kaihakusan (4-3), or South Korean Baeg Yun-gi, was forced out by No. 64-ranked Masunori of the sandanme, or second-highest junior division.

In jonidan, the third highest junior division, No. 94-ranked Kotonomori (4-3), or Brazilian Mario Fuchiue, beat 97th-ranked Onoyama.

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

Results of main sumo bouts

FUKUOKA, Japan (AP) -- Results of main bouts Friday, the 13th day of the 15-day Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament at Fukuoka Kokusai Center:

Winners Losers

Daizen (5-8) Kitakachidoki (Juryo) (4-9)
Oikari (Juryo) (11-2) Ohinode (7-6)
Takanowaka (8-5) Kaiho (7-6)
Tochinonada (9-4) Hamanoshima (6-7)
Asanowaka (8-5) Shikishima (7-6)
Otsukasa (7-6) Chiyotenzan (7-6)
Higonoumi (7-6) Tokitsuumi (8-5)
Minatofuji (7-6) Kyokutenho (5-8)
Asanosho (3-10) Wakanoyama (5-8)
Kotonowaka (6-7) Kyokushuzan (3-10)
Kotoryu (8-5) Miyabiyama (6-7)
Tamakasuga (3-10) Takatoriki (2-11)
Kotonishiki (6-7) Tosanoumi (9-4)
Terao (5-8) Akinoshima (3-10)
Musoyama (9-4) Aogiyama (4-9)
Kaio (9-4) Toki (8-5)
Tochiazuma (9-4) Dejima (10-3)
Takanohana (10-3) Chiyotaikai (8-5)
Musashimaru (10-3) Takanonami (6-7)

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Juryo Division

Kotomitsuki (7-6) Dewataira (3-10)
Sentoryu (7-6) Sasanoumi (5-8)
Hoshitango (8-5) Oginishiki (9-4)

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Saturday's main bouts:

Oikari (Juryo) Takanowaka
Dewaarashi (Juryo) Daizen
Kaiho Tokitsuumi
Asanowaka Ohinode
Tochinonada Chiyotenzan
Minatofuji Otsukasa
Shikishima Higonoumi
Terao Wakanoyama
Kyokutenho Asanosho
Takatoriki Hamanoshima
Tamakasuga Kyokushuzan
Kotonishiki Miyabiyama
Musoyama Kotoryu
Kotonowaka Tosanoumi
Aogiyama Akinoshima
Kaio Tochiazuma
Takanonami Toki
Musashimaru Chiyotaikai
Dejima Takanohana

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Results in Scoreboard

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