Musashimaru at 1-1
in New Year sumo

First day

TOKYO, Jan. 10 (Kyodo) -- Yokozuna Musashimaru lost in a marathon match with top maegashira Kotoryu while stablemate Dejima and fellow ozeki Chiyotaikai were also bit by the upset bug at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament on Monday.

Musashimaru gave up control of his belt to Kotoryu at the start of their bout at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan, but fought gamely for nearly 2-1/2 minutes before eventually being backed out of the ring.

The loss left Musashimaru, winner of four tournaments in 1999, at 1-1 and one step behind in the early title chase to grand champions Takanohana and Akebono, who posted convincing wins on the second day of the 15-day meet.

Kotoryu (1-1), on top of the rank-and-file maegashira ranks, garnered his second career victory over a yokozuna following a victory over Takanohana in last year's New Year tourney.

Dejima, a teammate of Musashimaru's from the Musashigawa stable, also lost out at the face-off, but then appeared to save himself with a last-ditch effort against the straw ridge to throw down Kotonowaka (1-1).

The taller No. 2 maegashira, however, fell on top as they tumbled out of bounds, saddling Dejima with his second straight loss.

Defending New Year meet champion Chiyotaikai (1-1) was on the wrong end of a collision with komusubi Miyabiyama (2-0), who bulldozed the ozeki out for his first win in 13 bouts against wrestlers in the top two ranks.

Grand champions Akebono and Takanohana restored order to the day following the upsets with easy second wins.

Akebono showed thrust-and-slap wrestler Toki (0-2) what a straight-arm offense should look like as he shoved out the top maegashira, while Takanohana threw sekiwake Tochiazuma (0-2) over with a well-timed belt throw.

Former ozeki Takanonami, meanwhile, showed too much savvy for a sekiwake and patiently worked hyper-kinetic No. 2 maegashira Asanowaka (0-2) out of the ring for the second of 10 wins he needs to regain his previous rank.

Also at sumo's third highest rank, Kaio (1-1) knocked over former sekiwake Kotonishiki (0-2) and Musoyama (2-0) shoved komusubi Tosanoumi (1-1) out of the ring after attempting an underarm throw.

Kyokutenho, a 13th-ranked maegashira from Mongolia, uncorked a belt throw at the edge for his second win, dropping Kinkaiyama (1-1) into the ringside seats, but sixth-ranked compatriot Kyokushuzan still looks for his first win after backing out while trying to pull down Wakanoyama (1-1).

Results

TOKYO, Jan. 10 (Kyodo) -- Results of makuuchi division bouts Monday, the second day of the 15-day New Year Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo:

Won -- Technique -- Lost

Kyokutenho 2-0 -- uwatenage -- Kinkaiyama 1-1
Oikari 1-1 -- tsukiotoshi -- Takanowaka 1-1
Chiyotenzan 2-0 -- oshidashi -- Ohinode 0-2
Tokitsuumi 1-1 -- tsukiotoshi -- Takatoriki 0-2
Kaiho 1-1 -- okuridashi -- Otsukasa 0-2
Minatofuji 2-0 -- oshidashi -- Tamakasuga 1-1
Asanosho 2-0 -- oshidashi -- Terao 1-1
Wakanoyama 1-1 -- oshidashi -- Kyokushuzan 0-2
Aogiyama 1-1 -- hatakikomi -- Shikishima 1-1
Tochinonada 2-0 -- oshidashi -- Hamanoshima 0-2
Higonoumi 1-1 -- tsukiotoshi -- Akinoshima 1-1
Kaio 1-1 -- tsukiotoshi -- Kotonishiki 0-2
Takanonami 2-0 -- oshidashi -- Asanowaka 0-2
Musoyama 2-0 -- oshitaoshi -- Tosanoumi 1-1
Kotonowaka 1-1 -- yoritaoshi -- Dejima 0-2
Miyabiyama 2-0 -- yorikiri -- Chiyotaikai 1-1
Kotoryu 1-1 -- yorikiri -- Musashimaru 1-1
Akebono 2-0 -- oshidashi -- Toki 0-2
Takanohana 2-0 -- uwatenage -- Tochiazuma 0-2

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Sunday, January 9, 2000

Akebono wins in return
to ring in New Year sumo

TOKYO, Jan. 9 (Kyodo) -- Yokozuna Akebono triumphed in his return to the ring Sunday -- though somewhat shakily -- while fellow grand champions Takanohana and Musashimaru posted easy wins to kick off the 15-day New Year Grand Sumo Tournament.

Akebono rammed top maegashira Kotoryu out of the ring at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan for a one-sided win, but still appeared shaky as he struggled to keep his feet underneath him at the edge of the dohyo before tumbling into the ringside seats himself.

The lumbering grand champion from Hawaii missed the entire Kyushu tourney in November after rupturing a muscle in his left thigh three days into September's autumn meet.

Musashimaru, meanwhile, dispelled concerns about his heavily taped left wrist by locking onto Kaio's sash with his right hand and marching the sekiwake quickly out of the ring.

Musashimaru, seeking his third straight championship, twisted his wrist in practice last week, sparking speculation that he may be forced out of the tournament.

Takanohana also got off to a winning start, wading through the thrusts and slaps of Toki to lock onto the front of the top maegashira's belt and then ease him over the straw border.

Ozeki Chiyotaikai, the defending champion in the New Year tourney, made short work of Kotonowaka, shoving the No. 2 maegashira out from behind.

Ozeki Dejima, meanwhile, was the only wrestler in the top ranks to fall victim to an upset, getting backed out of the ring by komusubi Tosanoumi.

Sekiwake Takanonami bulldozed No. 3 maegashira Kotonishiki out of the ring for the first of 10 wins he needs to reclaim the ozeki rank he lost with a 6-9 record in November.

Also at sumo's third-highest rank, Musoyama (10-5) muscled out No. 2 maegashira Asanowaka (9-6), but Tochiazuma (10-5) was pulled to the ring's surface by newly promoted komusubi Miyabiyama (8-7).

Mongolian wrestlers in the makuuchi division split on opening day as No. 13 maegashira Kyokutenho dropped 12th-ranked Ohinode out of the ring, while compatriot Kyokushuzan, a No. 6 maegashira, was backed out by Shikishima.

Popular veteran Terao slapped down Aogiyama to give the seventh-ranked ironman his 600th win overall in sumo's elite division.

The victory moved the 36-year-old former sekiwake into seventh on the all-time list for most wins in the top flight. Former yokozuna Chiyonofuji tops the list with 807 makuuchi wins in his storied career.

Results

TOKYO, Jan. 9 (Kyodo) -- Results of makuuchi division bouts Sunday, the first day of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo:

Won -- Technique -- Lost

Kinkaiyama 1-0 -- yorikiri -- Oikari 0-1
Kyokutenho 1-0 -- yoritaoshi -- Ohinode 0-1
Takanowaka 1-0 -- hatakikomi -- Tokitsuumi 0-1
Chiyotenzan 1-0 -- oshitaoshi -- Otsukasa 0-1
Minatofuji 1-0 -- oshidashi -- Takatoriki 0-1
Asanosho 1-0 -- oshidashi -- Kaiho 0-1
Tamakasuga 1-0 -- hatakikomi -- Wakanoyama 0-1
Terao 1-0 -- hatakikomi -- Aogiyama 0-1
Shikishima 1-0 -- yorikiri -- Kyokushuzan 0-1
Akinoshima 1-0 -- kubinage -- Hamanoshima 0-1
Tochinonada 1-0 -- hikiotoshi -- Higonoumi 0-1
Takanonami 1-0 -- oshidashi -- Kotonishiki 0-1
Musoyama 1-0 -- yorikiri -- Asanowaka 0-1
Miyabiyama 1-0 -- hikiotoshi -- Tochiazuma 0-1
Chiyotaikai 1-0 -- okuridashi -- Kotonowaka 0-1
Tosanoumi 1-0 -- yorikiri -- Dejima 0-1
Akebono 1-0 -- oshidashi -- Kotoryu 0-1
Takanohana 1-0 -- yorikiri -- Toki 0-1
Musashimaru 1-0 -- yorikiri -- Kaio 0-1

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Results in Scoreboard

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