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Takatoriki gets breathing
space at spring sumo

OSAKA, March 21 (Kyodo) - Ozeki Takanonami snapped out of his funk Tuesday to defeat yokozuna Musashimaru and give stablemate and unbeaten leader Takatoriki some extra daylight at the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament.

Musashimaru, who came into the day's final bout at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium with an 8-1 record, lost the initiative at the face-off as Takanonami neutralized the Samoan-born giant's thrusting attack by quickly locking onto the belt.

The slumping ozeki never let Musashimaru get even a sniff of victory, marching him out with surprising ease to boost his own record to 4-6.

Earlier, No. 14 maegashira Takatoriki showed neat footwork in escaping from ninth-ranked Oginishiki (5-5), before flinging him to the deck to improve to a perfect 10-0 in the 15-day meet.

Yokozuna Takanohana joined the five-way tie for second place after finally getting to grips with No. 4 maegashira Takanowaka (2-8) and bulldozing him out to up his record to 8-2.

Akebono registered a carbon-copy victory for win No. 8 as the Hawaiian-born yokozuna used his 230-kilogram bulk to force out third-ranked maegashira Kotoryu (3-7) in a one-sided bout.

Sekiwake Musoyama, chasing ozeki promotion after winning his first Emperor's Cup in January, bundled out his bogeyman, top-ranked maegashira Kyokushuzan, to improve to 8-1.

Kyokushuzan was left at 4-6 after Musoyama beat the Mongolian trickster for the only fifth time in 11 meetings.

Newly promoted sekiwake Miyabiyama, runner-up to his Musashigawa stablemate at the New Year tourney, also posted his eighth win as he bumped out sekiwake Tochiazuma, who slipped to 4-6 and has work to do to avoid a demotion next time out.

Meanwhile, Chiyotaikai cleverly snuffed out the explosive attack of Dejima by going to the belt to win an ozeki showdown and leave both men at 6-4.

Mongolian Kyokutenho continued to look out of his depth at his No. 2 maegashira rank as he was forced out by out-of-shape No. 4 maegashira Minatofuji (2-8) and slipped to 3-7.

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Results on 10th day of Spring
Grand Sumo Tournament

OSAKA, March 21 (Kyodo) - Results of makuuchi division bouts Tuesday, the 10th day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium (+ indicates juryo division wrestler):

Won -- Technique -- Lost
+Kinkaiyama -- 8-2 -- sukuinage -- Kaiho -- 6-4
+Kotomitsuki -- 9-1 -- yorikiri -- Daizen -- 5-5
Oikari -- 2-8 -- uwatenage -- Hamanoshima -- 5-5
Takatoriki -- 10-0 -- tsukitaoshi -- Oginishiki -- 5-5
Tokitsuumi -- 4-6 -- yorikiri -- Hayateumi -- 4-6
Toki -- 6-4 -- oshidashi -- Asanosho -- 5-5
Tochinonada -- 7-3 -- oshidashi -- Asanowaka -- 7-3
Terao -- 5-5 -- hikiotoshi -- Shikishima -- 2-8
Chiyotenzan -- 4-6 -- kotenage -- Akinoshima -- 4-6
Minatofuji -- 2-8 -- yorikiri -- Kyokutenho -- 3-7
Tamakasuga -- 4-6 -- hatakikomi -- Tosanoumi -- 5-5
Kaio -- 5-5 -- yorikiri -- Wakanoyama -- 3-7
Miyabiyama -- 8-2 -- oshidashi -- Tochiazuma -- 4-6
Musoyama -- 8-2 -- yorikiri -- Kyokushuzan -- 4-6
Chiyotaikai -- 6-4 -- yorikiri -- Dejima -- 6-4
Akebono -- 8-2 -- yorikiri -- Kotoryu -- 3-7
Takanohana -- 8-2 -- yorikiri -- Takanowaka -- 2-8
Takanonami -- 4-6 -- yorikiri -- Musashimaru -- 8-2

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Main bouts for 11th day of Spring Grand Sumo Tournament

OSAKA, March 21 (Kyodo) - Makuuchi division bouts for Wednesday, the 11th day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium (+ denotes juryo division wrestler):

Terao -- x -x -- +Otsukasa
+Kinkaiyama -- x-x -- Hayateumi
Asanowaka -- 7-7 -- Oginishiki
Kaiho -- 2 -4 -- Toki
Tokitsuumi -- 4-1 -- Hamanoshima
Daizen -- 0-1 -- Shikishima
Tochinonada -- 1-1 -- Asanosho
Minatofuji -- 1-1 -- Oikari
Takanowaka -- 1-1 -- Kyokutenho
Kyokushuzan -- 2-3 -- Kaio
Tosanoumi -- 8-10 -- Takatoriki
Musoyama -- 8-5 -- Tamakasuga
Wakanoyama -- 0-0 -- Tochiazuma
Dejima -- 4-0 -- Chiyotenzan
Takanonami -- 4-0 -- Kotoryu
Musashimaru -- 25-11 -- Akinoshima
Chiyotaikai -- 2-4 -- Akebono
Takanohana -- 3-0 -- Miyabiyama

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Takatoriki keeps sole
lead at 10-0; Musashimaru
suffers second defeat

OSAKA, Japan (AP) - Lower-ranked Takatoriki kept the sole lead at 10-0, while Hawaiian-born yokozuna (grand champion) Musashimaru suffered his second defeat Tuesday, the 10th day of the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament.

Two victories behind Takatoriki at 8-2 are five wrestlers - Musashimaru, or Fiamalu Penitani, fellow yokozunas Takanohana and Akebono and sekiwakes (junior champions) Musoyama and Miyabiyama.

Wrestling at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, No. 14 maegashira (senior wrestler) Takatoriki held off No. 9 maegashira Oginishiki's driving attempts at the ring's edge and thrust him down, leaving Oginishiki at 5-5.

In the day's final bout, ozeki (champion) Takanonami grabbed Musashimaru's belt tightly and forced him out for his fourth victory against six defeats.

In other major bouts, Takanohana forced out No. 4 maegashira Takanowaka, handing Takanowaka his eighth defeat against two victories.

Akebono, or Hawaiian-born Chad Rowan, grabbed No. 3 maegashira Kotoryu's belt and sent him out, leaving Kotoryu at 3-7.

Chiyotaikai grabbed his fellow ozeki (champion) Dejima's belt and bulldozed him out, leaving both wrestlers at 6-4.

Miyabiyama charged fellow sekiwake Tochiazuma with a series of hand thrusts and sent him out. Tochiazuma falls to 4-6.

Musoyama drove out No. 1 maegashira Kyokushuzan after fighting off Kyokushuzan's initial charge and sidestepping to the right. Kyokushuzan, or Mongolian Batbayar Davaa, is 4-6.

No. 2 maegashira Kyokutenho, or Mongolian Batbayar Tsevegnyam Nyamjav, suffered his seventh defeat against three victories, losing to No. 4 maegashira Minatofuji by a driving technique. Minatofuji is 2-8.

In juryo, just below the senior makuuchi division, No. 7-ranked Hoshitango, or Argentine Imach Marcelo Salomon, pulled down No. 4-ranked Susanoumi for his third victory against seven defeats. Susanoumi is 1-9.

No. 11-ranked Sentoryu, or American Henry Armstrong Miller, sent out No. 11-ranked Wakanojo for his ninth victory against one defeat.

In the makushita, top junior division, No. 19-ranked Asashoyu (3-2), or Mongolian Dolgorsvren Dagvadrj, pushed out No. 24-ranked Kiyonoumi.

No. 22-ranked Wakaazuma (4-1), or Yoshinobu Kuroda from Brazil, was sent out from behind by No. 16-ranked Kasuganishiki.

In sandanme, the second highest junior division, No. 63-ranked Azumaoh (2-3), or Brazilian Yasuto Morita, was toppled by No. 67-ranked Choukozan with a leg trick.

No. 68-ranked Ryuo (2-3), or Wang Yu from Shanghai, China, was pushed out by No. 70-ranked Hokutosho.

In jonokuchi, the lowest junior division, No. 38-ranked Fudoyama (4-1), or Mongolian Nyamjuv Luvsandorj, crushed down No. 36-ranked Takahashi.

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 10th day of the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament at Osaka Prefectual Gymnasium:

Winners Losers
Kinkaiyama (juryo) (8-2) Kaiho (5-5)
Kotomitsuki (juryo) (9-1) Daizen (5-5)
Oikari (2-8) Hamanoshima (5-5)
Takatoriki (10-0) Oginishiki (5-5)
Tokitsuumi (4-6) Hayateumi (4-6)
Toki (6-4) Asanosho (5-5)
Tochinonada (7-3) Asanowaka (7-3)
Terao (5-5) Shikishima (2-8)
Chiyotenzan (5-5) Akinoshima (4-6)
Minatofuji (2-8) Kyokutenho (3-7)
Tamakasuga (4-6) Tosanoumi (5-5)
Kaio (5-5) Wakanoyama (3-7)
Miyabiyama (8-2) Tochiazuma (4-6)
Musoyama (8-2) Kyokushuzan (4-6)
Chiyotaikai (6-4) Dejima (6-4)
Akebono (8-2) Kotoryu (3-7)
Takanohana (8-2) Takanowaka (2-8)
Takanonami (4-6) Musashimaru (8-2)

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Juryo Division

Sentoryu (9-1) Wakanojo (4-6)
Hoshitango (3-7) Susanoumi (1-9)

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Junior Divisions:

Makushita

Asashoyu (3-2) Kiyonoumi
Kasuganishiki Wakaazuma (4-1)

Sandanme

Chokozan Azumaoh (2-3)
Hokutosho Ryuo (2-3)

Jonokuchi

Fudoyama (4-1) Takahashi

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

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Results in Scoreboard

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