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Musashimaru hands
Takatoriki his first loss

OSAKA, March 24 (Kyodo) - Veteran No. 14 maegashira Takatoriki saw his miracle run at the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament come to an end Friday after suffering his first loss of the 15-day meet at the hands of yokozuna Musashimaru.

Takatoriki, who had a chance to win his first-ever Emperor's Cup with a win over the Samoan-born giant after Takanohana's earlier loss, came charging out of the blocks and caught his opponent off guard in the day's final bout at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium.

But Musashimaru, who almost lost his balance several times during the bout, finally managed to spin Takatoriki around near the edge and, using his considerable weight advantage, muscled the Futagoyama stable wrestler out to improve to 11-2.

Takanohana, meanwhile, suffered a serious blow to his title hopes when ozeki Dejima got both arms around the grand champion and drove him out to the surprise of the capacity crowd.

Dejima improved to 9-4 while Takanohana, who entered the day two wins off the lead with Musashimaru, joins three others at 10-3.

In other bouts, yokozuna Akebono got both hands on the belt of Tochinonada (8-5) immediately after the face-off and then marched the sixth-ranked maegashira out over the straw ridge for his 10th win against three losses.

Sekiwake Musoyama kept his slim title hopes alive after absorbing a bone-crushing blow at the face-off by Chiyotaikai (7-6) and then getting a grip of the determined ozeki's belt with both arms and forcing him out to improve to 10-3.

Newly promoted sekiwake Miyabiyama also stayed in the hunt for the Emperor's Cup and improved to 10-3 with a hard-fought win over Tamakasuga (5-8).

Miyabiyama deployed a barrage of arm thrusts to the throat before sending the No. 2 maegashira tumbling down to the dirt surface with a well-timed slap to the back of his opponent's head.

Earlier, Mongolian Kyokushuzan got a hold of No. 4 maegashira Takanowaka (4-9) by the arm and propelled him out to give the top-ranked maegashira only his fifth win.

Fellow Mongolian Kyokutenho, however, did not fare as well as sekiwake Tochiazuma (7-6) wrapped him up shortly after the face-off and sent him out of the ring to his 10th loss of the tourney.

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Results on 13th day of Spring Grand Sumo

OSAKA, March 24 (Kyodo) - Results of makuuchi division bouts Friday, the 13th day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium (+ indicates juryo division wrestler):

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

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Saturday's bouts

Terao x - x +Jumonji
+Tochinohana x - x Daizen
Oikari x - x +Kinkaiyama
Kaiho 0 - 0 Hayateumi
Hamanoshima 6 - 9 Oginishiki
Tokitsuumi 2 - 0 Asanowaka
Akinoshima 9 - 2 Asanosho
Kotoryu 0 - 0 Takanowaka
Wakanoyama 0 - 2 Shikishima
Tosanoumi 5 - 3 Kyokushuzan
Kyokutenho 0 - 0 Kaio
Musoyama 3 - 2 Tochinonada
Tamakasuga 2 - 5 Tochiazuma
Chiyotenzan 1 - 2 Miyabiyama
Dejima 5 - 1 Toki
Takanonami 3 - 7 Chiyotaikai
Takatoriki 15 - 26 Akebono
Takanohana 28 - 14 Musashimaru

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Musashimaru beats
Takatoriki to stay
in contention

OSAKA, Japan (AP) - Yokozuna (grand champion) Musashimaru pushed out lower-ranked Takatoriki on Friday, keeping alive his hopes for an eighth career victory with two days left in the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament.

Despite his loss, Takatoriki remained in the sole lead at 12-1. Musashimaru is right behind at 11-2.

Takatoriki is No. 14 maegashira (senior wrestler), the lowest rank in the senior makuuchi division.

Two other yokozunas, Takanohana and Akebono, both stood just behind at 10-3.

Hawaiian-born Musashimaru, or Fiamalu Penitani, pushed Takatoriki toward the ringside, then hovered over him to give the final push out.

The smaller and lighter Takatoriki managed for awhile to skillfully sidestep Musashimaru's repeated charges before finally losing the bout.

If Takatoriki had won Friday, he could have clinched an early victory, his first in 17 years in the sport.

Akebono, or Chad Rowan from Hawaii, gripped No. 6 maegashira Tochinonada's loin cloth to drag him to the ringside, then gave him a decisive push. Tochinonada is 8-5.

Takanohana was effortlessly shoved out of the ring by ozeki (champion) Dejima (9-4).

In other major bouts, No. 1 maegashira Kyokushuzan, or Mongolian Batbayar Davaa, threw down No. 4 maegashira Takanowaka (4-9) at the ringside.

Fellow Mongolian Tsevegnyam Nyamjav, wrestling as No. 2 maegashira Kyokutenho (3-10), was shoved out by sekiwake Tochiazuma (7-6).

In juryo, just below the senior makuuchi division, No. 7-ranked Hoshitango (5-8), or Argentine Imach Marcelo Salomon, slapped down No. 8 ranked Dewataira (3-10).

No. 11-ranked Sentoryu, or American Henry Armstrong Miller, drove out No. 10-ranked Tamarikido (8-5) for his 11th victory against two defeats.

In the makushita, the top junior division, No. 48-ranked Kuniazuma, or Brazilian Vander Ramos, pushed out No. 28-ranked Asofuji (6-1), while No. 58-ranked Kyokutenzan (4-3), or Mongolian Enkhbat Batmunkha, was shoved out by No. 59-ranked Kotokuni.

In Jonidan, the third highest junior division, No. 120-ranked Kitakasuga (3-4), or Mongolian Tsolmonbayar Munkhbat, was bulldozed out by No. 123-ranked Wakawashu.

In jonokuchi, the lowest junior division, No. 34-ranked Asasekiryu (6-1), or Badaarch Dashunyam, also from Mongolia, tossed out No. 25-ranked Narui. Mongolian Nyamjuv Luvsandorj, or No. 38-ranked Fudoyama (5-2), pushed out No. 29-ranked Kaizenzan.

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 Friday, the 13th day of the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament at Osaka Prefectual Gymnasium:

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

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Juryo Division

Hoshitango (5-8) Dewataira (3-10)
Sentoryu (11-2) Tamarikido (8-5)

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Junior Divisions:

Makushita

Kuniazuma (6-1) Asofuji
Kotokuni Kyokutenzan (4-3)

Jonidan

Wakawashu Kitakasuga (3-4)

Jonokuchi

Asasekiryu (6-1) Narui
Fudoyama (5-2) Kaizenzan

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

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Saturday's main bouts:

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

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Results in Scoreboard

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