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Sumo
Kaio joins ozeki
Takanohana out
ranks, Tochiazuma to
make his own bid
U.S. sumotori to wed
TOKYO, Sept. 1 (Kyodo) -- Kaio joins the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament as the latest wrestler -- after a considerable go-round -- to win a seat in the game of musical chairs that has become the ozeki rank.However, it may well be sekiwake Tochiazuma who grabs the limelight when the 15-day basho gets under way Sunday at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan.
The scrappy Tamanoi stable wrestler will be seeking to grab his own place among those holding sumo's second highest rank. Nothing would be more convincing than to cart home his first Emperor's Cup.
Tochiazuma has the ability, with records of 9-6 and 12-3 in the previous two tournaments, posting wins over all three grand champions and defeating three of the four ozeki at the Nagoya tourney in July.
The only question mark hinges on the shoulder injury he suffered in a practice session last week which has hampered his pre-tourney preparations.
Nevertheless, a championship in the fall tourney would put Tochiazuma in line for promotion and it has not gone unnoticed that three of this year's four champions were winners for the first time.
For their championships, sekiwake Musoyama (New Year) and Kaio (summer) both were awarded with promotions to ozeki, although Musoyama has dropped back to sekiwake after going 4-11 in Nagoya and needs at least 10 wins this fortnight to reclaim ozeki status.
An Emperor's Cup for Tochiazuma and a resurgence by the three Musashigawa stable ozeki also raises the intriguing possibility that the Kyushu basho in November could see an unprecedented six wrestlers crowded onto the ozeki rung.
Miyabiyama, 23, the youngest of the Musashigawa ozeki, got off on the wrong foot in his ozeki debut in July and finished with a 6-9 record. As a "kadoban" ozeki in danger of losing his rank, the sumo phenom needs only eight wins this time out to hold onto his position.
Newly promoted ozeki Kaio will attract the attention of sumo fans and analysts to see how he responds after needing 44 tournaments in the makuuchi division to finally reach ozeki. Recent history is not encouraging.
Despite the loftiness of the title, three of the last four ozeki, including Chiyotaikai (3-8-4, spring 1999) debuted with losing records. Only Dejima posted champion-like numbers, going 10-5 in last year's fall tourney.
In the chase for the Emperor's Cup, yokozuna Musashimaru appears ready to challenge for his first championship of the year after winning four of the six tournaments in 1999.
Akebono, winner of the Nagoya tourney in July, has been slowed in his preparations by a cold and has not won back-to-back championships since 1993, when he swept the final three titles of the year, Nagoya, autumn and Kyushu.
Sumo's third grand champion, Takanohana has elected to sit out the tournament with an injury to his left elbow, sustained early in the Nagoya meet.
Chiyotaikai, 11-4 in July, and Dejima, 10-5, could make their own run for the Emperor's Cup if they get off the mark quickly with their slapping and thrusting style and prevent any match from dragging on too long.
TOKYO, Sept. 1 (Kyodo) -- Yokozuna Takanohana has lost his race to get fit in time for the Sept. 3-17 Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament, Futagoyama stable officials informed the Japan Sumo Association on Friday. Takanohana out
of autumn sumo
with arm injuryTakanohana pulled out of July's Nagoya tourney on the eighth day with an injury to his left elbow, which also forced the 20-time Emperor's Cup winner to skip last month's provincial tour.
Speculation that Takanohana would miss the autumn meet at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan mounted when the 28-year-old grand champion sat out the public practice session before the Yokozuna Deliberation Council on Aug. 24.
TOKYO, Sept. 1 (Kyodo) -- U.S. sumo wrestler Sentoryu of the Tomozuna stable announced Friday his engagement to marry Maki Takaoka, a former airline flight attendant, next February. U.S. grappler Sentoryu
to wed ex-flight attendantSentoryu, whose real name is Henry Armstrong Miller, has reportedly known Takaoka, 33, for more than two years and told reporters that "After seeing (stablemate) Kaio, I hoped I also would be able to find a nice bride."
Kaio, newly promoted to ozeki for the upcoming Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament, married former women's pro wrestler Mitsuko Nishiwaki in June 1999.
Sentoryu, 31, formerly from St. Louis, Missouri, first stepped onto the ring in July 1988 and despite a string of past injuries earned promotion to the elite makuuchi division at the Nagoya tournament this past July.
After going 8-7 in Nagoya, Sentoryu edged up one position to No. 12 maegashira for the fall tourney opening Sunday at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan.
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Kyodo News Service