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Sumo
TOKYO, Jan. 19 (Kyodo) - It wasn't pretty, but yokozuna Akebono did just enough to preserve his lead in the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament on Wednesday, bumping out sekiwake Tochiazuma to chalk up his 10th win of the 15-day meet. Scrappy Akebono hangs
on to lead in New YearAkebono's 235-kilogram bulk compensated for his lack of technique in a scrappy bout at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan and, with his belt unraveling fast as Tochiazuma (6-5) attempted a last-ditch throw, the giant Hawaiian finally bellied his opponent out.
Breathing down the grand champion's neck, sekiwake Musoyama, komusubi Miyabiyama and rank-and-filers Chiyotenzan and Kyokutenho all finished the day on 9-2 to stay in the championship hunt.
Musoyama turned on the power against fellow sekiwake Takanonami, avoiding his lanky opponent's flytrap offense and unorthodox leg trips before squashing him to the dirt from behind.
Takanonami, who needs 10 wins to regain the ozeki status he lost after a second straight losing record at the Kyushu tourney last November, took a precarious 7-4 record back to the dressing rooms with him.
Upstart Miyabiyama stayed in touch by tipping over No. 4 maegashira Tochinonada (5-6), but it was left to yokozuna Takanohana to demonstrate how to win in style as he casually dismantled the offense of fifth-ranked Hamanoshima (3-8) to up his record to 8-3.
Ozeki Chiyotaikai showed ozeki wannabe Kaio (6-5) what it will take to make sumo's second highest rank with a crushing win which left him at 7-4 for the tournament, while another ozeki, Dejima, slapped down No. 4 maegashira Akinoshima (6-5) to improve to 8-3.
In the lower echelons of the makuuchi division, No. 13 maegashira Kyokutenho of Mongolia maintained his share of second place by pulling down seventh-ranked Wakanoyama (5-6), while compatriot Kyokushuzan, a No. 6 maegashira, improved to 4-7.
Results of 11th-day bouts at New Year Grand Sumo Tournament
TOKYO, Jan. 19 (Kyodo) - Results of makuuchi division bouts Wednesday, the 11th day of the 15-day New Year Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo:
Won Technique Lost
Chiyotenzan 9-2 oshidashi Oikari 7-4
Kinkaiyama 6-5 oshitaoshi Kaiho 4-7
Minatofuji 6-5 tsukiotoshi Asanosho 5-6
Tamakasuga 5-6 hikiotoshi Ohinode 3-8
Kyokutenho 9-2 hatakikomi Wakanoyama 5-6
Tokitsuumi 7-4 okuritaoshi Terao 4-7
Otsukasa 4-7 hikiotoshi Aogiyama 4-7
Takanowaka 8-3 yorikiri Shikishima 4-7
Kotonishiki 3-8 oshidashi Takatoriki 4-7
Kyokushuzan 4-7 hatakikomi Asanowaka 0-11
Kotonowaka 5-6 oshidashi Toki 2-9
Miyabiyama 9-2 tsukiotoshi Tochinonada 5-6
Tosanoumi 5-6 oshidashi Kotoryu 3-8
Musoyama 9-2 oshitaoshi Takanonami 7-4
Chiyotaikai 7-4 oshidashi Kaio 6-5
Dejima 8-3 hatakikomi Akinoshima 6-5
Akebono 10-1 yorikiri Tochiazuma 6-5
Takanohana 8-3 yorikiri Hamanoshima 3-8
Main bouts for 12th day of New Year Grand Sumo Tournament
TOKYO, Jan. 19 (Kyodo) - Makuuchi division bouts for Thursday, the 12th day of the 15-day New Year Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo (+denotes juryo division):+Oginishiki x - x Ohinode
Chiyotenzan 1 - 0 Takanowaka
+Dewaarashi x - x Otsukasa
Kaiho 6 - 1 Minatofuji
Tamakasuga 1 - 1 Tokitsuumi
Takatoriki 2 - 3 Asanosho
Terao 1 - 0 Oikari
Kyokushuzan 2 - 0 Kinkaiyama
Wakanoyama 2 - 0 Aogiyama
Kotonowaka 0 - 2 Kyokutenho
Toki 1 - 1 Asanowaka
Shikishima 11 - 5 Kotoryu
Akinoshima 3 - 2 Miyabiyama
Musoyama 21 - 7 Kotonishiki
Tosanoumi 8 - 5 Tochiazuma
Dejima 2 - 0 Hamanoshima
Takanonami 3 - 6 Chiyotaikai
Takanohana 22 - 9 Kaio
Tochinonada 2 - 4 Akebono
TOKYO (AP) - Hawaiian-born yokozuna (grand champion) Akebono, seeking his 10th tournament victory, kept the sole lead at 10-1 Wednesday, the 11th day of the 15-day New Year Grand Sumo tournament. Akebono keeps
sole lead at 10-1Sekiwake (junior champion) Musoyama, seeking his first tournament victory, stayed one victory behind Akebono at 9-2, along with three other wrestlers - komusubi (junior champion second class) Miyabiyama, No. 11 maegashira (senior wrestler) Chiyotenzan and No. 13 maegashira Kyokutenho from Mongolia.
Wrestling at the Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Arena in downtown Tokyo, Akebono, or Chad Rowan, grabbed sekiwake Tochiazuma's belt quickly and forced him out, leaving Tochiazuma at 6-5.
In the day's final bout, yokozuna Takanohana drove out No. 5 maegashira Hamanoshima for his eighth victory against three defeats. Hamanoshima is 3-8.
In other major bouts, ozeki (champion) Dejima sidestepped to left in the initial charge and slapped down No. 4 maegashira Akinoshima for his eighth victory against three defeats. Akinoshima is 6-5.
Ozeki Chiyotaikai charged sekiwake Kaio with hand thrusts and sent him out for his seventh victory against four defeats. Kaio is 6-5.
Musoyama crushed down his follow sekiwake Takanonami after fighting off Takanonami's arm throw attempt at the ring's edge, handing Takanonami his fourth defeat against seven victories.
Takanonami needs to win 10 bouts in this tournament to regain his ozeki ranking.
Miyabiyama charged No.4 maegashira Tochinonada with arm throw attempts and crushed him down, leaving Tochinonada at 5-6.
Kyokutenho, or Mongolian Tsevegnyam Nyamjav, slapped down No. 7 maegashira Wakanoyama, leaving Wakanoyama at 5-6.
Chiyotenzan pushed out No. 13 maegashira Oikari, handing Oikari his fourth defeat against seven victories.
No. 6 maegashira Kyokushuzan, or Mongolian Batbayar Davaa, pulled down winless No. 2 maegashira Asanowaka to improve his record to 4-7.
In the 26-member juryo division, just below the senior makuuchi division, No. 3-ranked Hoshitango, or Argentine Imach Marcelo Salomon, threw down No. 10-ranked Tamanonada for his fifth victory against six defeats. Tamanonada is 3-8.
No. 9-ranked Sentoryu, or American Henry Armstrong Miller, sidestepped to left in the initial charge and slapped down No. 2-ranked Yotsukasa for his fourth victory against seven defeats. Yotsukasa is 3-8.
In sandanme, the second highest junior division, No. 37-ranked Azumaoh (2-4), or Brazilian Yasuto Morita, sent out No. 30-ranked Motohashi.
No. 50-ranked Kaihakusan (2-4), or South Korean Baeg Yun-gi, was driven out by No. 44-ranked Kaiko.
In jonidan, the third highest junior division, No. 105-ranked Ryukizan (3-3), or South Korean Kim Soo-young, shoved out No. 101-ranked Narahashi.
In jonokuchi, the lowest junior division, No. 32-ranked Kitakasuga (5-1), or Mongolian Tsolmonbayar Munkhbat, slapped down No. 24-ranked Onohikari.
Junior division wrestlers have only seven bouts during the tournament.
Results of main sumo bouts
TOKYO (AP) - Results of main bouts Wednesday, the 11th day of the 15-day New Year Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Arena:
Winners Losers
Chiyotenzan (9-2) Oikari (7-4)
Kinkaiyama (6-5) Kaiho (4-7)
Minatofuji (6-5) Asanosho (5-6)
Tamakasuga (5-6) Ohinode (3-8)
Kyokutenho (9-2) Wakanoyama (5-6)
Tokitsuumi (7-4) Terao (4-7)
Otsukasa (4-7) Aogiyama (4-7)
Takanowaka (8-3) Shikishima (4-7)
Kotonishiki (3-8) Takatoriki (4-7)
Kyokushuzan (4-7) Asanowaka (0-11)
Kotonowaka (5-6) Toki (2-9)
Miyabiyama (9-2) Tochinonada (5-6)
Tosanoumi (5-6) Kotoryu (3-8)
Musoyama (9-2) Takanonami (7-4)
Chiyotaikai (7-4) Kaio (6-5)
Dejima (8-3) Akinoshima (6-5)
Akebono (10-1) Tochiazuma (6-5)
Takanohana (8-3) Hamanoshima (3-8)
Juryo Division
Hoshitango (5-6) Tamanonada (3-8)
Sentoryu (4-7) Yotsukasa (3-8)
Junior Divisions:
Sandanme
Azumaoh (2-4) Motohashi
Kaiko Kaihakusan (2-4)
Jonidan
Ryukizan (3-3) Narahashi
Jonokuchi
Kitakasuga (5-1) Onohikari(Junior division wrestlers have only seven bouts during the tournament. Records of foreign wrestlers' opponents were not available.)
Thursday's main bouts:
Oginishiki (juryo) Ohinode
Chiyotenzan Takanowaka
Dewaarashi (juryo) Otsukasa
Kaiho Minatofuji
Tamakasuga Tokitsuumi
Takatoriki Asanosho
Terao Oikari
Kyokushuzan Kinkaiyama
Wakanoyama Aogiyama
Kotonowaka Kyokutenho
Toki Asanowaka
Shikishima Kotoryu
Akinoshima Miyabiyama
Musoyama Kotonishiki
Tosanoumi Tochiazuma
Dejima Hamanoshima
Takanonami Chiyotaikai
Takanohana Kaio
Tochinonada Akebono
Results in Scoreboard
For more sumo information online, try:
Sumo Web
Da Kine Sumo E-zine
Ozumo
Kyodo News Service