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Akebono blasts to
4-0, tied for lead at
Nagoya sumo

NAGOYA, July 12 (Kyodo) - Yokozuna Akebono catapulted sekiwake Tochiazuma into the ringside cushions Wednesday in a battle of unbeaten wrestlers and walked away sharing the lead at 4-0 with rank-and-filer Takamisakari at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament.

The day's final bout at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium was over as soon as it started as the Hawaiian-born giant, chasing his first Emperor's Cup since May 1997, immediately backed up Tochiazuma with a forearm to the chest and finished the job with a two-handed shove.

Yokozuna Takanohana got back on track after losing to Tochiazuma on Tuesday, weathering an early storm from Toki (1-3) before twisting the No. 2 maegashira to the dirt for his third win of the 15-day tourney.

Musashimaru made it a hat trick of wins for the yokozuna trio as he blew out winless No. 2 maegashira Takanowaka to boost his record to 3-1, while Musashigawa stable mate Dejima had little trouble barging out sekiwake Takanonami (2-2), giving the ozeki win No. 3.

Miyabiyama, making his debut at ozeki, evened his record at 2-2 by pulling down top-ranked maegashira Tochinohana (0-4), but Musoyama, who needs eight wins to keep his ozeki rank after missing the summer meet with injury, slipped up against No. 1 maegashira Akinoshima.

The Futagoyama stable veteran secured a strong right-hand grip and levered Musoyama out to leave both wrestlers on 2-2.

Meanwhile, ozeki Chiyotaikai improved to 3-1 as he pummeled winless komusubi Tamakasuga to the floor in an impressive display of brute strength.

Sekiwake Kaio, shooting for ozeki after winning his first Emperor's Cup in May, pinched a win and moved to 3-1 after komusubi Tosanoumi (1-3) had done all the hard work only to lose his footing at the edge of the ring.

It was a bad day for Mongolia as mid-maegashira pair Kyokutenho (3-1) and Kyokushuzan (0-4) were both outmaneuvered, but American No. 13 maegashira Sentoryu upped his record to 3-1 by shoving out winless Shikishima.

Results of 4th day of Nagoya sumo

NAGOYA, July 12 (Kyodo) - Results of makuuchi division bouts Wednesday, the fourth day of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium:

Won Technique Lost

Aminishiki 3-1 yorikiri Aogiyama 1-3
Sentoryu 3-1 oshidashi Shikishima 0-4
Kinkaiyama 2-2 yorikiri Otsukasa 2-2
Hamanoshima 2-2 yorikiri Tokitsuumi 1-3
Takamisakari 4-0 tsukiotoshi Daizen 2-2
Minatofuji 2-2 yorikiri Kyokushuzan 0-4
Takatoriki 2-2 oshidashi Kotonowaka 1-3
Chiyotenzan 3-1 yorikiri Kyokutenho 3-1
Hayateumi 2-2 kotenage Kotoryu 2-2
Higonoumi 3-1 yorikiri Kaiho 2-2
Wakanoyama 3-1 oshidashi Tochinonada 1-3
Oginishiki 3-1 oshitaoshi Asanowaka 1-3
Kaio 3-1 tsukiotoshi Tosanoumi 1-3
Dejima 3-1 yorikiri Takanonami 2-2
Miyabiyama 2-2 hikiotoshi Tochinohana 0-4
Chiyotaikai 3-1 hatakikomi Tamakasuga 0-4
Akinoshima 2-2 yorikiri Musoyama 2-2
Musashimaru 3-1 tsukidashi Takanowaka 0-4
Takanohana 3-1 oshitaoshi Toki 1-3
Akebono 4-0 oshidashi Tochiazuma 3-1

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Thursday's bouts

Sentoryu 0 - 0 Kinkaiyama
Aogiyama 1 - 1 Otsukasa
Aminishiki 0 - 0 Daizen
Hamanoshima 10 - 7 Shikishima
Tokitsuumi 3 - 3 Minatofuji
Chiyotenzan 0 - 0 Takamisakari
Takatoriki 3 - 3 Kotoryu
Kyokushuzan 2 - 2 Higonoumi
Hayateumi 1 - 0 Kyokutenho
Kotonowaka 2 - 1 Wakanoyama
Oginishiki 1 - 4 Kaiho
Asanowaka 0 - 0 Tochinohana
Tamakasuga 2 - 6 Tochiazuma
Takanonami 18 - 14 Musoyama
Dejima 8 - 6 Akinoshima
Tochinonada 1 - 5 Miyabiyama
Chiyotaikai 0 - 0 Takanowaka
Akebono 22 - 6 Kaio
Musashimaru 7 - 16 Toki
Tosanoumi 7 - 16 Takanohana

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Akebono shares lead
with lower-ranked
wrestler at 4-0

NAGOYA, Japan (AP) - Hawaii-born yokozuna (grand champion) Akebono remained undefeated at 4-0 in a two-way tie for the lead with lower-ranked Takamisakari on Wednesday, the fourth day of the 15-day Nagoya Grand Sumo tournament.

In the day's final bout at the Aichi prefectural (state) Gymnasium in central Japan, Akebono, or Chad Rowan, charged sekiwake (junior champion) Tochiazuma with hand thrusts and sent him out, handing Tochiazuma his first defeat against three victories.

No. 11 maegashira Takamisakari sidestepped to the right and thrust down No. 10 maegashira Daizen, leaving Daizen at 2-2.

One victory behind Akebono and Takamisakari at 3-1 were 11 wrestlers, including yokozunas - Takanohana and Musashimaru, ozekis (champions) Chiyotaikai and Dejima and sekiwakes Kaio and Tochiazuma.

In other major bouts, Takanohana fought off No. 2 maegashira (senior wrestler) Toki's initial charge of hand thrusts and pushed him down, leaving Toki at 1-3.

Musashimaru, or Fiamalu Penitani from Hawaii, charged winless No. 2 maegashira Takanowaka with hand thrusts and sent him out.

No. 1 maegashira Akinoshima charged ozeki Musoyama with an arm throw attempt twice and sent him out, leaving both at 2-2.

Chiyotaikai slapped down winless komusubi (junior champion second class) Tamakasuga after charging him with hand thrusts.

Dejima bulldozed out sekiwake Takanonami, leaving Takanonami at 2-2.

Ozeki Miyabiyama drove winless No. 1 maegashira Tochinohana to the ring's edge and quickly pulled him down for his second victory against two defeats.

Sekiwake Kaio, seeking promotion to ozeki, sumo's second highest rank, fought off komusubi Tosanoumi's driving attempt at the ring's edge and shoved him off. Tosanoumi is 1-3.

No. 9 maegashira Chiyotenzan grabbed No. 7 maegashira Mongolian Kyokutenho's belt and forced him out, leaving the both wrestlers at 3-1. Kyokutenho's real name is Tsevegnyam Nyamjav.

No. 9 maegashira Minatofuji sent out winless No. 8 maegashira Kyokushuzan, or Mongolian Batbayar Davaa, to improve his record to 2-2.

No. 13 maegashira Sentoryu, or American Henry Armstrong Miller from St. Louis, Missouri, pushed out winless No. 12 maegashira Shikishima for his third victory against one defeat.

In the 26-member juryo division, just below the senior makuuchi division, No. 8-ranked Hoshitango (0-4), or Argentine Imach Marcelo Salomon, was driven out by No. 9-ranked Tamanokuni (3-1).

In makushita, the top junior division, No. 12-ranked Wakaazuma (1-0), Yoshinobu Kuroda from Brazil, pushed out equally ranked Nakabuchi.

No. 42-ranked Kyokutenzan (1-1), or Mongolian Enkhbat Batmunkha, sent out No. 40-ranked Kiyoazuma from behind.

In sandanme, the second highest junior division, No. 3-ranked Kasugaoh (2-0), or Kim Son-tek from South Korea, drove out No. 1-ranked Kachimi.

No. 73-ranked Ryuo (1-1), or Wang Yu from Shanghai, China, shoved out No. 72-ranked Yamaryu.

No. 99-ranked Azumaoh (1-1), or Brazilian Yasuto Morita, sent out No. 100-ranked Akaike.

In jonidan, the third highest junior division, No. 9-ranked Kaihakusan (1-1), or South Korean Baeg Yun-gi, was driven out by No. 8-ranked Tetsuhikari.

No. 68-ranked Daibanjaku (1-1), or Mongolian Batsukh Khaidavmunkh, was sent out by No. 69-ranked Sone.

No. 80-ranked Hakuba (2-0), or Mongolian Ariunbayar Unurjargal, crushed down No. 81-ranked Umebayashi.

In jonokuchi, the lowest junior division, No. 23-ranked Orora (1-1), or Russian Mikhakhanov Anatolivaleryevich, was twisted down by No. 24-ranked Asahanada.

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

Results of main sumo bouts

NAGOYA, Japan (AP) - Results of main bouts Wednesday, the fourth day of the 15-day Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium:

Winners Losers

Aminishiki (3-1) Aogiyama (1-3)
Sentoryu (3-1) Shikishima (0-4)
Kinkaiyama (2-2) Otsukasa (2-2)
Hamanoshima (2-2) Tokitsuumi (1-3)
Takamisakari (4-0) Daizen (2-2)
Minatofuji (2-2) Kyokushuzan (0-4)
Takatoriki (2-2) Kotonowaka (1-3)
Chiyotenzan (3-1) Kyokutenho (3-1)
Hayateumi (2-2) Kotoryu (2-2)
Higonoumi (3-1) Kaiho (2-2)
Wakanoyama (3-1) Tochinonada (1-3)
Oginishiki (3-1) Asanowaka (1-3)
Kaio (3-1) Tosanoumi (1-3)
Dejima (3-1) Takanonami (2-2)
Miyabiyama (2-2) Tochinohana (0-4)
Chiyotaikai (3-1) Tamakasuga (0-4)
Akinoshima (2-2) Musoyama (2-2)
Musashimaru (3-1) Takanowaka (0-4)
Takanohana (3-1) Toki (1-3)
Akebono (4-0) Tochiazuma (3-1)

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Juryo Division

Tamanokuni (3-1) Hoshitango (0-4)

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Junior Divisions

Makushita

Wakaazuma (1-0) Nakabuchi
Kyokutenzan (1-1) Kiyoazuma

Sandanme

Kasugaoh (2-0) Kachimi
Ryuo (1-1) Yamaryu
Azumaoh (1-1) Akaike

Jonidan

Tetsuhikari Kaihakusan (1-1)
Sone Daibanjaku (1-1)
Hakuba (2-0) Umebayashi

Jonokuchi

Asahanada Orora (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

Sentoryu Kinkaiyama
Aogiyama Otsukasa
Aminishiki Daizen
Hamanoshima Shikishima
Tokitsuumi Minatofuji
Chiyotenzan Takamisakari
Takatoriki Kotoryu
Kyokushuzan Higonoumi
Hayateumi Kyokutenho
Kotonowaka Wakanoyama
Oginishiki Kaiho
Asanowaka Tochinohana
Tamakasuga Tochiazuma
Takanonami Musoyama
Dejima Akinoshima
Tochinonada Miyabiyama
Chiyotaikai Takanowaka
Akebono Kaio
Musashimaru Toki
Tosanoumi Takanohana

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Results in Scoreboard

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