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Sumo
TOKYO (AP) - Hawaii-born yokozuna (grand champion) Musashimaru, seeking his eighth tournament victory, kept the sole lead at 11-0 Wednesday with four days left in the 15-day Autumn Grand Sumo tournament. Musashimaru keeps
sole lead at 11-0Akebono one back at 10-1
Akebono, another Hawaii-born yokozuna, stayed one victory behind Musashimaru at 10-1. Ozeki (champion) Kaio followed them at 9-2.
Wrestling at the Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Arena, Musashimaru, or Fiamalu Penitani, fought off No. 6 maegashira (senior wrestler) Kotonowaka's hand thrusts and neck throw attempt and sent him out from behind, leaving Kotonowaka at 7-4.
In the day's final bout, Akebono, or Chad Rowan, grabbed No. 4 maegashira Toki's belt and easily drove him out, handing Toki his sixth defeat against five victories. Akebono is seeking his 11th tournament victory.
Kaio dodged his fellow ozeki Dejima's driving attempt skillfully and sent him out from behind, leaving Dejima at 8-3.
In other major bouts, ozeki Chiyotaikai charged No. 7 maegashira Tochinohana with a series of hand thrusts and sent him out for his eighth victory against three defeats. Tochinohana is 7-4.
Komusubi (junior champion second class) Akinoshima put his head against ozeki Miyabiyama's chest and drove him out. Akinoshima is 5-6 and Miyabiyama 6-5.
No. 15 maegashira Tochisakae pushed out No. 14 maegashira Kyokushuzan for his seventh victory against four defeats. Kyokushuzan, or Mongolian Batbayar Davaa, is 8-3.
No. 12 maegashira Sentoryu, or Henry Armstrong Miller from St. Louis, Missouri, charged No. 3-ranked Aogiyama of juryo division with hand thrusts and tossed him down, leaving both wrestlers at 4-7.
No. 3 maegashira Kyokutenho, or Mongolian Tsevegnyam Nyamjav, sent out equally ranked Tochinonada, leaving both wrestlers at 3-8.
In the 26-member juryo division just below the senior makuuchi, No. 12-ranked Senshuyama crushed down No. 7-ranked Asashoryu, or Mongolian Dolgorsvren Dagvadrj, for his seventh victory against four defeats. Asashoryu is 6-5.
No. 9-ranked Kuniazuma, or Brazilian Vander Ramos, clamped No. 2-ranked Daizen's arms from outside and sent him out for his seventh victory against four defeats. Daizen is 5-6.
In makushita, the top junior division, No. 8-ranked Hoshitango (5-1), or Argentine Imach Marcelo Salomon, thrust down No. 10-ranked Furuichi.
No. 9-ranked Hoshiandesu (2-4), or Argentine Jose Antonio Juarez, slapped down No. 1-ranked Kotoiwakuni.
No. 33-ranked Kyokutenzan (1-5), or Mongolian Enkhbat Batmunkha, was forced out by No. 31-ranked Natsubori.
In sandanme, the second highest junior division, No. 75-ranked Kaihakusan (4-2), or South Korean Baeg Yun-gi, slapped down No. 76-ranked Shoji.
No. 90-ranked Ryuo (2-4), or Wang Yu from Shanghai, China, was thrown down by No. 87-ranked Oomae.
In jonidan, the third highest junior division, No. 75-ranked Orora (2-4), or Russian Mikhakhanov Anatolivaleryevich, was twisted down by No. 69-ranked Ezaki.
No. 94-ranked Daibanjaku (5-1), or Mongolian Batsukh Khaidavmunkh, was tossed down by No. 80-ranked Ookatano.
No. 82-ranked Kitakasuga (3-3), or Mongolian Tsolmonbayar Munkhbat, sent out No. 90-ranked Shiraiso.
In jonokuchi, the lowest junior division, No. 41-ranked Daionji (5-1), or Mongolian Ulziibayar Ulziijargal, forced out No. 30-ranked Fusanonami.
Wrestlers in junior divisions have only seven bouts during the 15-day Autumn Grand Sumo tournament.
TOKYO (AP) - Gender equity is catching up with sumo. Names In The Game
For the first time in its 50-year history, the Japan Sumo Association will have a woman on its governing body.
Playwright Makiko Uchitate on Tuesday was appointed to the council that decides which wrestlers are promoted to the rank of yokozuna, the highest of sumo's six divisions.
The sumo association had been criticized as sexist for not having a woman on its governing board.
Earlier this year there was a controversy about the association's ban on women being in the ring.
The ring is considered sacred ground, and sumo's ruling body has refused to allow women into it because Shinto belief holds that women are impure. Sumo goes back 200 years and is rooted in Japan's native Shinto religion.
Uchitate has written novels, essays and TV shows, including a drama about a female sumo fanatic that was broadcast in 1992.
TOKYO (AP) - Results of main bouts Wednesday, the 11th day of the 15-day Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Arena: Results of Main Sumo Bouts
Winners Losers
Tochisakae (7-4) Kyokushuzan (8-3)
Sentoryu (4-7) Aogiyama (juryo)(4-7)
Kinkaiyama (5-6) Otsukasa (4-7)
Tokitsuumi (4-7) Minatofuji (3-8)
Wakanosato (8-3) Aminishiki (6-5)
Higonoumi (7-4) Asanowaka (4-7)
Hamanoshima (7-4) Wakanoyama (6-5)
Takanowaka (5-6) Tamakasuga (4-7)
Oginishiki (2-9) Daishi (3-8)
Takatoriki (4-7) Kaiho (4-7)
Kyokutenho (3-8) Tochinonada (3-8)
Chiyotenzan (3-8) Kotoryu (1-10)
Hayateumi (6-5) Takanonami (7-4)
Musoyama (7-4) Tosanoumi (3-8)
Chiyotaikai (8-3) Tochinohana (7-4)
Akinoshima (5-6) Miyabiyama (6-5)
Kaio (9-2) Dejima (8-3)
Musashimaru (11-0) Kotonowaka (7-4)
Akebono (10-1) Toki (5-6)
Juryo Division
Senshuyama (7-4) Asashoryu (6-5)
Kuniazuma (7-4) Daizen (5-6)
Junior Divisions:
Makushita
Hoshitango (5-1) Furuichi
Hoshiandesu (2-4) Kotoiwakuni
Natsubori Kyokutenzan (1-5)
Sandanme
Kaihakusan (4-2) Shoji
Oomae Ryuo (2-4)
Jonidan
Ezaki Orora (2-4)
Ookatano Daibanjaku (5-1)
Kitakasuga (3-3) Shiraiso
Jonokuchi
Daionji (5-1) Fusanonami(Junior division wrestlers have only seven bouts during the tournament. Records of foreign wrestlers' opponents were not available.)
Thursday's main bouts:
Kinkaiyama Daishi
Sentoryu Daizen (juryo)
Higonoumi Wakanosato
Tamakasuga Otsukasa
Hamanoshima Aminishiki
Kaiho Tokitsuumi
Tochisakae Asanowaka
Wakanoyama Kyokushuzan
Kyokutenho Takatoriki
Minatofuji Tochinonada
Tosanoumi Chiyotenzan
Oginishiki Kotoryu
Akinoshima Hayateumi
Tochinohana Musoyama
Kotonowaka Dejima
Chiyotaikai Toki
Takanowaka Miyabiyama
Akebono Kaio
Takanonami Musashimaru
Results in Scoreboard
For more sumo information online, try:
Sumo Web
Da Kine Sumo E-zine
Ozumo
Kyodo News Service