Musashimaru throws
Takanohana for
Kyushu sumo win

Kyodo News Service

FUKUOKA -- Yokozuna Musashimaru threw over fellow grand champion Takanohana in a winner-take-all final Sunday to win the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament.

Musashimaru surrendered belt control to Takanohana at the beginning of the tension-filled finale at Fukuoka Kokusai Center, but pitched his rival over with a right arm throw for his 12th win against three losses.

The championship was Musashimaru's fourth of the year and seventh of his career. And, along with Dejima's triumph in July, the Musashigawa stable took home the tournament hardware for a fifth meet in a row.

The Samoa-born yokozuna remarked that he was "tired" after the struggle and admitted candidly that he was not sure that he could win against Takanohana, who held a 28-13 advantage in their previous meetings.

Then prodded by his fans in the arena, Musashimaru graded his victory a perfect "100" when asked on national television about his performance.

He later said he was excited about the throw after he made it, but added that he was not trying for that technique "That's the only option I had."

For Takanohana (11-4), who has struggled all year with injuries, the loss was a bitter defeat since the yokozuna -- with 20 tournament championships already -- has not won the Emperor's Cup since September 1998.

In other bouts, Dejima chased ozeki rival Chiyotaikai (9-6) out of the ring but stepped over the straw ridge for his fifth loss. Chiyotaikai was credited with his ninth win by jumping and hovering over the outside of the ring as Dejima stepped out.

Sekiwake Tochiazuma rammed out No. 5 maegashira Toki (9-6) for his 10th win and was awarded the Technique Prize for his technical virtuosity during the tournament.

Sekiwake Kaio, who lost four of his first six matches, muscled out Takanonami for his for his ninth win in a row and his 11th overall to rekindle talk of his promotion to ozeki with a convincing tourney in January. Kaio also was awarded the Fighting Spirit Prize.

Takanonami, who started 4-1, meanwhile, was saddled with his ninth loss and will need 10 or more wins in January to reclaim his ozeki ranking.

Komusubi Tosanoumi bulldozed out No. 3 maegashira Asanosho (9-6) to end a three-match losing streak and notch his 10th win of the tournament.

Tosanoumi, the early tournament leader, was also awarded the Outstanding Performance Award with wins against Musashimaru and all three ozeki.

In early bouts, No. 3 maegashira Kyokushuzan pulled himself around behind Takatoriki quickly at the face-off, but could neither push the No. 2 maegashira out or pull him down backwards.

The unorthodox Mongolian wrestler lifted Takatoriki (2-13) into the air and then deposited him outside of the ring for only his fifth win of the tourney.

Mongolian stablemate Kyokutenho, meanwhile, was pulled down to his ninth defeat by foruth-ranked Aogiyama (6-9) and will take a substantial dip in the rankings for January's New Year tourney.

Results of main bouts on
final day of Kyushu sumo

FUKUOKA -- Results of makuuchi division bouts Sunday, the final day of the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament at Fukuoka Kokusai Center (+ denotes juryo division wrestler):

Won -- Technique -- Lost

+Kinkaiyama 10-5 -- tsukiotoshi -- Tochinonada 10-5
Daizen 7-8 -- hatakikomi -- Otsukasa 8-7
+Hayateumi 8-7 -- yoritaoshi -- Kaiho 8-7
Asanowaka 9-6 -- hikiotoshi -- Takanowaka 9-6
Higonoumi 8-7 -- uwatedashinage -- Chiyotenzan 7-8
Wakanoyama 7-8 -- yoritaoshi -- Ohinode 8-7
Aogiyama 6-9 -- hikiotoshi -- Kyokutenho 6-9
Hamanoshima 8-7 -- okuritaoshi -- Terao 5-10
Kotonishiki 7-8 -- yorikiti -- Tokitsuumi 8-7
Kyokushuzan 5-10 -- tsuridashi -- Takatoriki 2-13
Miyabiyama 8-7 -- yorikiri -- Shikishima 8-7
Asanosho 4-11 -- oshidashi -- Tamakasuga 3-12
Tosanoumi 10-5 -- oshidashi -- Kotoryu 9-6
Kotonowaka 8-7 -- uwatenage -- Akinoshima 3-12
Musoyama 10-5 -- oshidashi -- Minatofuji 7-8
Tochiazuma 10-5 -- oshidashi -- Toki 9-6
Kaio 11-4 -- yorikiri -- Takanonami 6-9
Chiyotaikai 9-6 -- tsukiotoshi -- Dejima 10-5
Musashimaru 12-3 -- sukuinage -- Takanohana 11-4

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Division winners

Makuuchi -- Musashimaru, Musashigawa stable, 12-3
Juryo -- Oginishiki, Dewanoumi stable, 11-4 (winner in playoff)
Makushita -- Hokutomine, Hakkaku stable, 7-0
Sandanme -- Maenowaka, Takadagawa stable, 7-0 (winner in playoff)
Jonidan -- Shikinohana, Shikihide stable, 7-0 (winner in playoff)
Jonokuchi -- Tsuji, Naruto stable, 6-1 (winner in playoff)

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Special awards for makuuchi division wrestlers

Outstanding Performance Award -- Tosanoumi, Isenoumi stable (5th award)
Technique Prize -- Tochiazuma, Tamanoi stable (4th)
Fighting Spirit Prize -- Kaio, Tomozuna stable (4th)

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Results in Scoreboard

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Kyodo News Service