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Musashimaru keeps
sole lead at 12-0

TOKYO (AP) -- Musashimaru kept the sole lead at 12-0 and his fellow yokozuna (grand champion) Akebono chased him closely at 11-1 Thursday with three days left in the 15-day Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament.

Three ozekis (champions) Kaio, Dejima and Chiyotaikai, followed the yokozunas at 9-3.

In the day's final bout at the Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Arena, Musashimaru, or Fiamalu Penitani from Hawaii, fought off komusubi (junior champion second class) Takanonami's driving attempts and threw him down at the ring's edge, leaving Takanonami at 7-5.

Akebono, another Hawaiian-born yokozuna, drove out Kaio after fighting off Kaio's arm throw and driving attempts.

In other major bouts, Chiyotaikai charged No. 4 maegashira (senior wrestler) Toki with hand thrusts and sent him out and Dejima bulldozed out No. 6 maegashira Kotonowaka. Toki is 5-7 and Kotonowaka 7-5.

The fourth ozeki, Miyabiyama, grabbed No. 5 maegashira Takanowaka's belt quickly and drove him out for his seventh victory against five defeats. Takanowaka is 5-7.

No. 6 maegashira Wakanoyama attacked No. 14 maegashira Kyokushuzan, or Mongolian Batbayar Davaa, with arm throw attempts and sent him out for his seventh victory against five defeats. Kyokushuzan is 8-4.

No. 12 maegashira Sentoryu, American Henry Armstrong Miller from St. Louis, Missouri, was crushed down by No. 2-ranked Daizen of the juryo division for his eighth defeat against four victories. Daizen is 6-6.

No. 3 maegashira Kyokutenho, or Mongolian Tsevegnyam Nyamjav, lifted up No. 4 maegashira Takatoriki to the ring's edge and forced him out, leaving both wrestlers at 4-8.

In the 26-member juryo division just below the senior makuuchi, No. 7-ranked Asashoryu, or Mongolian Dolgorsvren Dagvadrj, sent out No. 1-ranked Oikari from behind for his seventh victory against five defeats. Oikari is 5-7.

No. 9-ranked Kuniazuma, or Brazilian Vander Ramos, thrust out No. 2-ranked Jumonji for his eighth victory against four defeats. Jumonji is 7-5.

In makushita, the top junior division, No. 18-ranked Wakaazuma (3-3), or Yoshinobu Kuroda from Brazil, twisted down No. 16-ranked Asoufuji.

No. 43-ranked Kasugaoh (4-2), or Kim Son-tek from South Korea, was tossed down by No. 50-ranked Aranonami.

In sandanme, the second highest junior division, No. 45-ranked Asasekiryu (6-0), or Mongolian Badaarch Dashunyam, forced out No. 66-ranked Hiyoriyama.

No. 65-ranked Azumaoh (4-2), or Brazilian Yasuto Morita, was driven out by No. 56-ranked Surugatsukasa.

In jonidan, the third highest junior division, No. 54-ranked Ryuo (3-3), or Mongolian Erkhem Ochirsanchirbold, pushed out No. 58-ranked Wakashoryu.

No. 59-ranked Fudoyama (2-4), or Mongolian Nyamjuv Luvsandorj, was forced out by No. 58-ranked Kurita.

No. 96-ranked Ryukizan (4-2), or South Korean Kim Soo-young, shoved out No. 95-ranked Hagurokuni.

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

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Results

TOKYO (AP) - Results of main bouts Thursday, the 12th day of the 15-day Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Arena:

Winners Losers

Daishi (4-8) Kinkaiyama (5-7)
Daizen (juryo) (6-6) Sentoryu (4-8)
Wakanosato (9-3) Higonoumi (7-5)
Tamakasuga (5-7) Otsukasa (4-8)
Hamanoshima (8-4) Aminishiki (6-6)
Kaiho (5-7) Tokitsuumi (4-8)
Tochisakae (8-4) Asanowaka (4-8)
Wakanoyama (7-5) Kyokushuzan (8-4)
Kyokutenho (4-8) Takatoriki (4-8)
Minatofuji (4-8) Tochinonada (3-9)
Tosanoumi (4-8) Chiyotenzan (3-9)
Oginishiki (3-9) Kotoryu (1-11)
Hayateumi (7-5) Akinoshima (5-7)
Musoyama (8-4) Tochinohana (7-5)
Dejima (9-3) Kotonowaka (7-5)
Chiyotaikai (9-3) Toki (5-7)
Miyabiyama (7-5) Takanowaka (5-7)
Akebono (11-1) Kaio (9-3)
Musashimaru (12-0) Takanonami (7-5)

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Juryo Division

Kuniazuma (8-4) Jumonji (7-5)

Asashoryu (7-5) Oikari (5-7)

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Junior Divisions:

Makushita

Wakaazuma (3-3) Asoufuji
Aranonami Kasugaoh (4-2)

Sandanme

Asasekiryu (6-0) Hiyoriyama
Surugatsukasa Azumaoh (4-2)

Jonidan

Ryuo (3-3) Wakashoryu
Kurita Fudoyama (2-4)
Ryukizan (4-2) Hagurokuni

(Junior division wrestlers have only seven bouts during the tournament. Records of foreign wrestlers' opponents were not available.)

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Friday's main bouts:

Aogiyama (juryo) Daishi
Kyokushuzan Kotomitsuki (juryo)
Jumonji (juryo) Minatofuji
Otsukasa Sentoryu
Tokitsuumi Hamanoshima
Tochisakae Aminishiki
Kinkaiyama Asanowaka
Higonoumi Toki
Takatoriki Tamakasuga
Kyokutenho Oginishiki
Wakanosato Hayateumi
Kaiho Kotoryu
Tosanoumi Tochinonada
Kotonowaka Takanonami
Akinoshima Chiyotenzan
Takanowaka Musoyama
Tochinohana Miyabiyama
Kaio Wakanoyama
Chiyotaikai Musashimaru
Akebono Dejima

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Results in Scoreboard

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