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Takatoriki continues
perfect streak

OSAKA, March 23 (Kyodo) - Veteran No. 14 maegashira Takatoriki extended his improbable win streak Thursday by mugging sekiwake Musoyama to boost his record to a perfect 12-0 at the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament.

Takatoriki, hailing from neighboring Kobe, treated a packed house at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium to another barnstorming display, punishing Musoyama for some pre-bout gamesmanship with some vicious blows to the face which disorientated the wannabe ozeki.

After causing a false start with some delaying tactics, Musoyama, chasing promotion to sumo's second highest rank after lifting his first Emperor's Cup in the New Year, crashed to the dirt surface and left the ring with a 9-3 record in the 15-day meet.

Meanwhile, Takanohana survived a blitz from a fired-up Chiyotaikai (7-5), but finally got to grips with the ozeki and flattened him to improve to 10-2, the same mark as fellow yokozuna Musashimaru, who got lucky against komusubi Kaio.

Kaio appeared to have bagged his seventh win - as television replays also suggested he had - after dropping the Samoan-born giant with an arm-bar throw, only for the ringside judges to order a rematch, adjudging that both wrestlers had hit the dirt together.

Musashimaru made no mistake second time up, quickly heaving his exhausted opponent out to secure double-digit wins.

Yokozuna Akebono had an easy day at the office, moving to 9-3 as ozeki Takanonami suddenly lost his footing and returned to the changing room nursing a 5-7 record.

Dejima salvaged some ozeki pride by barging out No. 5 maegashira Akinoshima (4-8), while newly promoted sekiwake Miyabiyama joined the trio on 9-3 as he gently deposited sixth-ranked Tochinonada (8-4) onto the sandy ring as if putting a baby to bed.

There was little to cheer about for Mongolian sumo fans watching the NHK satellite broadcast back in Ulan Bator as Kyokushuzan and Kyokutenho both flopped for the second day running.

Kyokushuzan will face a demotion from his top-ranked maegashira spot next time out after he was bundled over by sekiwake Tochiazuma (6-6) to slip to 4-8, while No. 2 maegashira Kyokutenho fell to sixth-ranked Shikishima, leaving both men at 3-9.

Minatofuji pulls out
with ankle injury

OSAKA, March 23 (Kyodo) - Fourth-ranked maegashira Minatofuji has withdrawn from the ongoing Spring Grand Sumo Tournament with an ankle injury, officials from the wrestler's Minato stable said Thursday.

Minatofuji suffered a lopsided defeat to third-ranked Kotoryu on Thursday and twisted his right ankle as his opponent landed on top of him, sending the native of Gunma Prefecture hobbling away from the ring with a 2-10 record in the 15-day meet.

Doctors who examined Minatofuji at an Osaka hospital said the 31-year-old wrestler had damaged ligaments and will be sidelined for two months.

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Results on 12th day of
Spring Grand Sumo Tournament

OSAKA, March 23 (Kyodo) - Results of makuuchi division bouts Thursday, the 12th day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium (+ indicates juryo division wrestler):

Won Technique Lost
+Kotomitsuki 11-1 yorikiri Terao 6-6
Oikari 4-8 oshidashi +Akinoshu 4-8
Oginishiki 7-5 sukuinage Hayateumi 5-7
Hamanoshima 7-5 okuridashi Asanowaka 7-5
Tokitsuumi 5-7 yoritaoshi Kaiho 6-6
Daizen 7-5 abisetaoshi Toki 6-6
Takanowaka 4-8 kotenage Asanosho 5-7
Kotoryu 4-8 yoritaoshi Minatofuji 2-10
Tamakasuga 5-7 oshidashi Chiyotenzan 4-8
Shikishima 3-9 yorikiri Kyokutenho 3-9
Tosanoumi 6-6 yorikiri Wakanoyama 3-9
Miyabiyama 9-3 uwatenage Tochinonada 8-4
Takatoriki 12-0 hatakikomi Musoyama 9-3
Tochiazuma 6-6 okuritaoshi Kyokushuzan 4-8
Dejima 8-4 yorikiri Akinoshima 4-8
Takanohana 10-2 yoritaoshi Chiyotaikai 7-5
Musashimaru 10-2 yorikiri Kaio 6-6
Akebono 9-3 hatakikomi Takanonami 5-7

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Friday's bouts

+Jumonji x - x Kaiho
Oikari x - x +Mitoizumi
Terao 0 - 0 Hayateumi
Hamanoshima 8 - 8 Asanosho
Asanowaka 4 - 0 Daizen
Tokitsuumi 0 - 3 Toki
Oginishiki 5 - 3 Shikishima
Minatofuji 5 - 7 Akinoshima
Takanowaka 0 - 1 Kyokushuzan
Wakanoyama 3 - 0 Kotoryu
Tosanoumi 5 - 14 Kaio
Kyokutenho 1 - 0 Tochiazuma
Tamakasuga 0 - 3 Miyabiyama
Takanonami 4 - 0 Chiyotenzan
Musoyama 7 - 2 Chiyotaikai
Tochinonada 3 - 4 Akebono
Takanohana 8 - 2 Dejima
Musashimaru 35 - 8 Takatoriki

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Takatoriki keeps sole
sumo lead at 12-0

OSAKA, Japan (AP) - Lower-ranked Takatoriki thrust down sekiwake (junior champion) Musoyama to keep the sole lead at 12-0 Thursday, the 12th day of the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament.

Takatoriki's closet rivals at 10-2 are two wrestlers - yokozunas (grand champions) Takanohana and Hawaiian-born Musashimaru.

Wrestling at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, No. 14 maegashira (senior wrestler) Takatoriki charged Musoyama with hand thrusts and pushed him down, handing Musoyama his third defeat against nine victories.

Takanohana fought off ozeki (champion) Chiyotaikai's initial sidestepping charge to the left and pushed him down, leaving Chiyotaikai at 7-5.

Musashimaru, or Fiamalu Penitani, forced out komusubi (junior champion second class) Kaio in the day's second bout. Musashimaru attempted to drive out Kaio, but the two wrestlers hit dirt at the same time in the first bout and the judges called on them to wrestle again. Kaio is 6-6.

In the day's final bout, Hawaiian-born yokozuna Akebono, or Chad Rowan, slapped down ozeki Takanonami for his ninth victory against three defeats. Takanonami is 5-7.

In other major bouts, sekiwake Tochiazuma toppled No. 1 maegashira Kyokushuzan, or Mongolian Batbayar Davaa, from behind for his sixth victory against six defeats. Kyokushuzan is 4-8.

Sekiwake Miyabiyama threw down No. 6 maegashira Tochinonada for his ninth victory against three defeats. Tochinonada is 8-4.

No. 6 maegashira Shikishima forced out No. 2 maegashira Kyokutenho, or Mongolian Batbayar Tsevegnyam Nyamjav, leaving both wrestlers at 3-9.

In juryo, just below the senior makuuchi division, No. 7-ranked Hoshitango, or Argentine Imach Marcelo Salomon, suffered his eighth defeat against four victories, losing to No. 6-ranked Dewaarashi by a driving technique.

No. 11-ranked Sentoryu, or American Henry Armstrong Miller, was forced out by No. 5-ranked Jumonji for his second defeat against 10 victories. Jumonji is 8-4.

In the makushita, the top junior division, No. 19-ranked Asashoyu (4-2), or Mongolian Dolgorsvren Dagvadrj, threw down No. 17-ranked Takamihana.

No. 22-ranked Wakaazuma (4-2), or Yoshinobu Kuroda from Brazil, was slapped down by No. 20-ranked Wakakinryu.

In sandanme, the second highest junior division, No. 63-ranked Azumaoh (2-4), or Brazilian Yasuto Morita, was slapped down by No. 59-ranked Koganefuji.

No. 68-ranked Ryuo (2-4), or Wang Yu from Shanghai, China, was defeated by No. 73-ranked Komahibiki.

In Jonidan, the third highest junior division, No. 117-ranked Ryukizan (2-4), or South Korean Kim Soo-young, threw down No. 105-ranked Kotonoshin.

No. 120-ranked Kitakasuga (3-3), or Mongolian Tsolmonbayar Munkhbat, was toppled by No.115-ranked Muro.

In jonokuchi, the lowest junior division, No. 13-ranked Daibanjaku (4-2), or Mongolian Batsukh Khaidavmunkh, was forced out by No. 10-ranked Akanoume.

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 Thursday, the 12th day of the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament at Osaka Prefectual Gymnasium:

Winners Losers
Kotomitsuki (juryo) (11-1) Terao (6-6)
Oikari (4-8) Akinoshu (juryo) (4-8)
Oginishiki (7-5) Hayateumi (5-7)
Hamanoshima (7-5) Asanowaka (7-5)
Tokitsuumi (5-7) Kaiho (6-6)
Daizen (7-5) Toki (6-6)
Takanowaka (4-8) Asanosho (5-7)
Kotoryu (4-8) Minatofuji (2-10)
Tamakasuga (5-7) Chiyotenzan (5-7)
Shikishima (3-9) Kyokutenho (3-9)
Tosanoumi (6-6) Wakanoyama (3-9)
Miyabiyama (9-3) Tochinonada (8-4)
Takatoriki (12-0) Musoyama (9-3)
Tochiazuma (6-6) Kyokushuzan (4-8)
Dejima (8-4) Akinoshima (4-8)
Takanohana (10-2) Chiyotaikai (7-5)
Musashimaru (10-2) Kaio (6-6)
Akebono (9-3) Takanonami (5-7)

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Juryo Division

Dewaarashi (3-9) Hoshitango (4-8)
Jumonji (8-4) Sentoryu (10-2)

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Junior Divisions:

Makushita

Asashoyu (4-2) Takamihana
Wakakinryu Wakaazuma (4-2)

Sandanme

Koganefuji Azumaoh (2-4)
Komahibiki Ryuo (2-4)

Jonidan

Ryukizan (2-4) Kotonoshin
Muro Kitakasuga (3-3)

Jonokuchi

Akanoume Daibanjaku (4-2)

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

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Friday's main bouts:

Jumonji (juryo) Kaiho

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

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Results in Scoreboard

For more sumo information online, try:
Sumo Web
Da Kine Sumo E-zine
Ozumo
Kyodo News Service