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Sumo
OSAKA, March 26 (Kyodo) -- Veteran Takatoriki nabbed his first Emperor's Cup on Sunday with a dramatic victory over sekiwake Miyabiyama, one of five wrestlers hoping to sneak into a championship playoff on the final day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament. Takatoriki wins
1st Emperor’s Cup
at spring sumoTakatoriki, a former sekiwake fighting at No. 14 maegashira, ran into a speeding truck as Miyabiyama came out with a fierce thrusting attack, but the Futagoyama stable terrier thrilled a packed house at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium with a Hail Mary maneuver at the edge.
With Miyabiyama, who started the day at 11-3 in the 15-day meet, inches away from a win that would have forced a playoff, Takatoriki showed excellent footwork as he slipped to the right and sent his opponent sprawling out of the ring for a winning 13-2 record.
"It's always been my dream to win a championship, so it feels strange to actually do it. I got lucky," said the 32-year-old Kobe native, who also walked off with his third Outstanding Performance Award and 10th Fighting Spirit Prize of his 18-year pro career.
Sekiwake Musoyama finished joint runner-up with yokozuna Akebono on 12-3 to capture the Technique Prize, the third of the special prizes awarded to the top makuuchi division wrestlers by the Japan Sumo Association (JSA) on the final day of each major tourney.
More importantly, the association is expected to promote Musoyama to ozeki -- the sport's second highest rank -- after the Musashigawa stable wrestler followed up his first-ever Emperor's Cup triumph in the New Year meet with such a strong showing over the past two weeks.
On Sunday, sekiwake Tochiazuma buzzed around Musoyama, but had little to trouble his opponent when it came to the crunch and quickly slipped to his seventh loss against eight wins.
Akebono evened his record against fellow yokozuna Takanohana (11-4) to 20-20 as he was given the benefit of the doubt when both men crashed off the raised ring together.
Television replays suggested Takanohana had done enough at least to force a rematch, but the ringside judges upheld the official verdict of a win for Akebono, who bundled his nemesis out while simultaneously trying to avoid being toppled over.
Dejima finished on 11-4, along with Takanohana and Musashigawa stablemates Miyabiyama - who picked up his second Fighting Spirit Prize - and Musashimaru after muscling out Takanonami (7-8) in a battle of ozeki.
Takanonami, making his reappearance at ozeki after an embarrassing demotion to sekiwake, will lose his rank again if he racks up another losing record in May.
Ozeki Chiyotaikai narrowly avoided going the same route as he squashed Samoan-born yokozuna Musashimaru to squeak win No. 8 and finish a disappointing tournament on a high note.
It was a mixed day for the makuuchi division's two Mongolians, with No. 2 maegashira Kyokutenho slapping down fifth-ranked Akinoshima (5-10) to finish on 4-11, and top maegashira Kyokushuzan getting flattened to his 10th loss by 10th-ranked Hayateumi (7-8).
OSAKA, March 26 (Kyodo) -- Results of makuuchi division bouts Sunday, the final day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium (+ indicates juryo division wrestler): Results
Final day of Spring Grand Sumo TournamentWon -- Technique -- Lost
Kaiho 8-7 -- oshidashi -- Terao 7-8
+Tochinohana 13-2 -- oshidashi -- Oikari 5-10
Daizen 9-6 -- oshidashi -- Asanosho 6-9
Toki 7-8 -- hatakikomi -- Shikishima 4-11
Chiyotenzan 6-9 -- yorikiri -- Oginishiki 8-7
Takanowaka 5-10 -- tsukidashi -- Hamanoshima 8-7
Asanowaka 8-7 -- okuridashi -- Kotoryu 5-10
Kyokutenho 4-11 -- hatakikomi -- Akinoshima 5-10
Hayateumi 7-8 -- sukuinage -- Kyokushuzan 5-10
Wakanoyama 6-9 -- hatakikomi -- Tokitsuumi 7-8
Kaio 8-7 -- yorikiri -- Tamakasuga 5-10
Tochinonada 9-6 -- tsukiotoshi -- Tosanoumi 8-7
Takatoriki 13-2 -- okuritaoshi -- Miyabiyama 11-4
Musoyama 12-3 -- tsukiotoshi -- Tochiazuma 8-7
Dejima 11-4 -- yorikiri -- Takanonami 7-8
Chiyotaikai 8-7 -- tsukiotoshi -- Musashimaru 11-4
Akebono 12-3 -- yoritaoshi -- Takanohana 11-4
Division winners
Makuuchi - Takatoriki, Futagoyama stable, 13-2
Juryo - Tochinohana, Kasugano stable, 13-2 (winner in playoff)
Makushita - Tamanokuni, Kataonami stable, 7-0
Sandanme - Isshin, Kiriyama stable, 7-0
Jonidan - Nagayama, Magaki stable 7-0 (winner in playoff)
Jonokuchi - Tochishimizu, Kasugano stable, 7-0
(Note: Wrestlers in sumo's four junior divisions compete in only seven bouts per tournament.)
Special awards for Makuuchi Division
Outstanding Performance Award - Takatoriki, Futagoyama stable (3rd)
Technique Prize - Musoyama, Musashigawa stable (4th)
Fighting Spirit Prize - Takatoriki, Futagoyama stable (10th)
Miyabiyama, Musashigawa stable (2nd)
Results in Scoreboard
For more sumo information online, try:
Sumo Web
Da Kine Sumo E-zine
Ozumo
Kyodo News Service