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Miyabiyama fetes
ozeki promotion,
Musoyama aims
at return

TOKYO, Aug. 25 (Kyodo) -- Ozeki Miyabiyama, in danger of losing his rank at next month's Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament, celebrated his promotion to sumo's second highest rank in a belated affair at a Tokyo hotel Friday.

Miyabiyama was promoted to ozeki after going 11-4 in May, but slumped with a 6-9 record at last month's Nagoya basho, leaving him in danger of losing his rank if he is unable to win at least eight bouts in the Sept. 3-17 tourney at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan.

"I was unable to meet everyone's expectations in Nagoya, but I will do my best this tournament to meet them," Miyabiyama told the 200 guests gathered for the fete.

Musashigawa stable mate Musoyama, meanwhile, won eight out of 10 practice bouts Friday as he aims to regain the ozeki rank he lost in Nagoya.

Musoyama won the New Year tourney as a sekiwake in January and was promoted to ozeki after going 12-3 in March. He was forced to skip his debut tourney in May with a lower back injury and then was dropped to sekiwake again after managing only four wins in July.

"My back feels better than it did in the last tourney," said Musoyama, who can regain ozeki status by winning 10 or more matches in the fall tourney.

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Kyodo News Service