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Sekiwake pair for
Musashigawa stable unbeaten
in spring sumo

Akeboni, Musashimaru win

OSAKA, March 14 (Kyodo) - The Musashigawa stable's pair of sekiwake wrestlers Musoyama and Miyabiyama posted convincing wins Tuesday to remain among the unbeaten leaders in the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament.

Ozeki Dejima also won at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium to keep pace with his junior stablemates while Akebono dodged a bullet to remain the lone unbeaten grand champion only three days into the 15-day basho.

Musoyama, the winner of the New Year tourney in January, pinned Tosanoumi (2-1) up against the straw ridge and then twisted the komusubi down to the ring's surface for his third straight win.

Miyabiyama, making his debut at sumo's third highest rank of sekiwake in Osaka, overwhelmed Chiyotaikai (2-1) at the face-off and then backed the ozeki out of the ring against little resistance.

Dejima, not to be outdone by his lower-ranked stablemates, backed Kaio (1-2) to the edge of the ring on a straight line off the face-off and then pulled the komusubi down to give the Musashigawa stable three wins in three straight bouts.

Akebono, meanwhile, had difficulty catching sekiwake Tochiazuma, who circled away from the grand champion's thrusting attack.

When the two wrestlers finally locked up, Tochiazuma (1-2) attempted a belt throw, but hit the ring's surface first as they fell together. A meeting of ringside judges confirmed the win for Akebono.

Earlier, Takatoriki, at the makuuchi division's lowest rank of No. 14 maegashira, shoved out juryo-division wrestler Mitoizumi (1-2) for his third win and seventh-ranked Toki pulled down Akinoshima (1-2) for a place among the third-day leaders.

In other main bouts, yokozuna Takanohana (2-1) marched out No. 2 maegashira Kyokutenho to leave the Mongolian wrestler winless after going 11-4 in January.

Kyokushuzan (1-2), however, ended the Mongolian losing streak in the tourney at five by pulling himself around Wakanohana (1-2) and then taking advantage of the angle to muscle the grand champion out of the ring from the side.

Yokozuna Musashimaru (2-1) again appeared to favor his injured left wrist, but still managed to barrel winless No. 2 maegashira Tamakasuga out of the ring with some solid shoulder blocks.

Takanonami (2-1) cranked Wakanoyama (0-3) out of the ring with firm control of the top maegashira's sash, rebounding from Monday's loss to Tosanoumi.

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Results on 3rd day of Spring Grand Sumo Tournament

OSAKA, March 14 (Kyodo) - Results of makuuchi division bouts on Tuesday the third day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium (+ indicates juryo division wrestler):

Won Technique Lost
Takatoriki 3-0 oshidashi +Mitoizumi 1-2
Kaiho 1-2 yorikiri +Kitakachidoki 0-3
Hayateumi 2-1 yorikiri Asanosho 1-2
Oginishiki 1-2 yorikiri Daizen 1-2
Hamanoshima 2-1 yorikiri Terao 1-2
Asanowaka 2-1 hatakikomi Oikari 1-2
Kotonishiki 2-1 uwatenage Tochinonada 2-1
Toki 3-0 hikiotoshi Akinoshima 1-2
Takanowaka 1-2 hatakikomi Tokitsuumi 0-3
Minatofuji 1-2 yorikiri Shikishima 1-2
Chiyotenzan 2-1 kotenage Kotoryu 1-2
Musoyama 3-0 makiotoshi Tosanoumi 2-1
Miyabiyama 3-0 yorikiri Chiyotaikai 2-1
Dejima 3-0 hatakikomi Kaio 1-2
Takanonami 2-1 uwatenage Wakanoyama 0-3
Akebono 3-0 yoritaoshi Tochiazuma 1-2
Takanohana 2-1 yorikiri Kyokutenho 0-3
Kyokushuzan 1-2 yorikiri Wakanohana 1-2
Musashimaru 2-1 oshidashi Tamakasuga 0-3

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Wednesday's bouts

Terao x - x +Susanoumi
+Ohinode x - x Daizen
Asanosho 1 - 1 Oikari
Hamanoshima 4 - 9 Takatoriki
Kaiho 2 - 1 Oginishiki
Hayateumi 0 - 0 Toki
Asanowaka 5 - 4 Shikishima
Akinoshima 8 - 39 Kotonishiki
Tokitsuumi 3 - 1 Chiyotenzan
Tochinonada 0 - 1 Takanowaka
Wakanoyama 1 - 1 Minatofuji
Kyokushuzan 2 - 1 Miyabiyama
Takanonami 20 - 16 Kaio
Tosanoumi 3 - 5 Chiyotaikai
Dejima 3 - 0 Kotoryu
Musashimaru 0 - 0 Kyokutenho
Musoyama 5 - 19 Akebono
Takanohana 11 - 4 Tochiazuma
Tamakasuga 5 - 12 Wakanohana

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Main bouts for 4th day of Spring Grand Sumo Tournament

OSAKA, March 14 (Kyodo) - Makuuchi division bouts for Wednesday, the fourth day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium (+ indicates juryo division wrestler):

Terao x - x +Susanoumi
+Ohinode x - x Daizen
Asanosho 1 - 1 Oikari
Hamanoshima 4 - 9 Takatoriki
Kaiho 2 - 1 Oginishiki
Hayateumi 0 - 0 Toki
Asanowaka 5 - 4 Shikishima
Akinoshima 8 - 39 Kotonishiki
Tokitsuumi 3 - 1 Chiyotenzan
Tochinonada 0 - 1 Takanowaka
Wakanoyama 1 - 1 Minatofuji
Kyokushuzan 2 - 1 Miyabiyama
Takanonami 20 - 16 Kaio
Tosanoumi 3 - 5 Chiyotaikai
Dejima 3 - 0 Kotoryu
Musashimaru 0 - 0 Kyokutenho
Musoyama 5 - 19 Akebono
Takanohana 11 - 4 Tochiazuma
Tamakasuga 5 - 12 Wakanohana

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Akebono remains undefeated,
Wakanohana suffers
second defeat

OSAKA, Japan (AP) - Hawaii-born Akebono remained undefeated at 3-0, but his fellow yokozuna Wakanohana suffered his second upset Tuesday, the third day of the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament.

Ozeki (champion) Dejima and sekiwake (junior champion) Musoyama and Miyabiyama also kept the perfect 3-0 record.

Wrestling at the Osaka prefectural gymnasium in western Japan, Akebono, or Chad Rowan from Hawaii, fought off sekiwake Tochiazuma's arm throw attempt at the ring's edge and crushed him down, leaving Tochiazuma at 1-2.

No. 1 maegashira (senior wrestler) Kyokushuzan, or Mongolian Batbayar Davaa, charged Wakanohana with an arm throw attempt and sent him out, leaving both wrestlers at 1-2.

In other major bouts, yokozuna Takanohana forced out winless No. 2 maegashira Kyokutenho, or Mongolian Tsevegnyam Nyamjav, for his second victory against one defeat.

Yokozuna Musashimaru, or Fiamalu Penitani from Hawaii, charged winless No. 2 maegashira Tamakasuga with a series of hand thrusts and thrust him out for his second victory against one defeat.

Dejima slapped down komusubi (junior champion second class) Kaio after driving him to the ring's edge. Kaio is 1-2.

Ozeki Takanonami threw out winless No. 1 maegashira Wakanoyama to improve to 2-1.

Miyabiyama grabbed ozeki Chiyotaikai's belt and forced him out, leaving Chiyotaikai at 2-1.

Musoyama, seeking promotion to the ozeki ranking after his first tournament victory in the last tournament in January, twisted down komusubi Tosanoumi, leaving Tosanoumi at 2-1.

In the 26-member juryo division, just below the senior makuuchi division, No. 7-ranked Hoshitango, or Argentine Imach Marcelo Salomon, was thrust out by No. 10-ranked Tamarikido for his third straight defeat against no victories. Tamarikido is 1-2.

No. 11-ranked Sentoryu, or American Henry Armstrong Miller, sent out No. 8-ranked Dewataira for his second victory against one defeat. Dewataira is 1-2.

In makushita, the top junior division, No. 12-ranked Hoshiandesu (1-1), or Argentine Jose Antonio Juarez, slapped down No. 11-ranked Kotokanryu.

In jonidan, the third highest junior division, No. 117-ranked Ryukizan (0-2), or South Korean Kim Soo-young, was driven out by No. 115-ranked Muro.

In jonokuchi, the lowest junior division, No. 34-ranked Asasekiryu (2-0), or Mongolian Badaarch Dashunyam, forced out No. 30-ranked Kimuragawa.

No. 35-ranked Hakuba (1-1), or Mongolian Ariunbayar Unurjargal, was sent out by equally-ranked Asanosato.

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

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Results of Main Sumo Bouts

OSAKA, Japan (AP) - Results of main bouts Tuesday, the third day of the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament at Osaka Prefectual Gymnasium:

Winners Losers
Takatoriki (3-0) Mitoizumi (juryo) (1-2)
Kaiho (1-2) Kitakachidoki (juryo) (0-3)
Hayateumi (2-1) Asanosho (1-2)
Oginishiki (1-2) Daizen (1-2)
Hamanoshima (2-1) Terao (1-2)
Asanowaka (2-1) Oikari (1-2)
Kotonishiki (2-1) Tochinonada (2-1)
Toki (3-0) Akinoshima (1-2)
Takanowaka (1-2) Tokitsuumi (0-3)
Minatofuji (1-2) Shikishima (1-2)
Chiyotenzan (2-1) Kotoryu (1-2)
Musoyama (3-0) Tosanoumi (2-1)
Miyabiyama (3-0) Chiyotaikai (2-1)
Dejima (3-0) Kaio (1-2)
Takanonami (2-1) Wakanoyama (0-3)
Akebono (3-0) Tochiazuma (1-2)
Takanohana (2-1) Kyokutenho (0-3)
Kyokushuzan (1-2) Wakanohana (1-2)
Musashimaru (2-1) Tamakasuga (0-3)

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Juryo Division

Sentoryu (2-1) Dewataira (1-2)
Tamarikido (1-2) Hoshitango (0-3)

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Junior Divisions:

Makushita

Hoshiandesu (1-1) Kotokanryu

Jonidan

Muro Ryukizan (0-2)

Jonokuchi

Asasekiryu (2-0) Kimuragawa
Asanotosa Hakuba (1-1)

(Junior division wrestlers have only seven bouts during the tournament. Records of foreign wrestlers' opponents were not available.)

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Wednesday's main bouts:

Terao Susanoumi (juryo)
Ohinode (juryo) Daizen
Asanosho Oikari
Hamanoshima Takatoriki
Kaiho Oginishiki
Hayateumi Toki
Asanowaka Shikishima
Akinoshima Kotonishiki
Tokitsuumi Chiyotenzan
Tochinonada Takanowaka
Wakanoyama Minatofuji
Kyokushuzan Miyabiyama
Takanonami Kaio
Tosanoumi Chiyotaikai
Dejima Kotoryu
Musashimaru Kyokutenho
Musoyama Akebono
Takanohana Tochiazuma
Tamakasuga Wakanohana

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Results in Scoreboard

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