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Yokozuna Takanohana,
Musashimaru 4-0 in
Kyushu sumo

FUKUOKA, Nov. 8 (Kyodo) - Takanohana's comeback continued to gather momentum with another bulldozing victory Wednesday, while Musashimaru joined his rival yokozuna in a five-way tie for the lead at 4-0 in the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament.

Takanohana, who skipped the autumn tourney in September with an elbow injury, showed the kind of form that won him 20 Emperor's Cups as he crushed komusubi Wakanosato (1-3) to send a warning to the major title contenders at Fukuoka Kokusai Center.

Chasing his first championship in two years, Takanohana expertly took the sting out of his opponent's attack before turning on the power to leave Wakanosato in a crumpled heap half on, half off the raised ring.

Musashimaru followed suit in the day's final bout as the Samoan-born giant defused the explosive offense of Mongolian No. 3 maegashira Kyokushuzan (1-3) and secured a strong two-hand belt grip for a convincing walk-out win.

Meanwhile, yokozuna Akebono improved his record in the 15-day tourney to 3-1 as he shoved out former ozeki Takanonami (0-4), who is in danger of losing his sekiwake rank unless he can halt his alarming loss of form in Fukuoka.

Ozeki Dejima lost his balance against winless No. 5 maegashira Takatoriki, but had enough forward momentum going to push out the Futagoyama stable bruiser and extend his own record to 4-0.

Miyabiyama squashed No. 3 maegashira Chiyotenzan (2-2) to boost his mark to 4-0, but fellow ozeki and Musashigawa stable mate Musoyama crashed to his second loss after slipping at the face-off against top-ranked maegashira Akinoshima (1-3).

Earlier, Nagasaki native Takanowaka preserved his unbeaten record as the No. 8 maegashira served up a barrage of slaps to the head to leave 11th-ranked Asanowaka (1-3) face down in the dirt.

Fukuoka native Kaio, eager for a strong showing on home turf in his second tourney as ozeki, got off a powerful charge against Hayateumi (1-3) and bundled the sekiwake back over the straw bails to boost his record to 3-1.

Meanwhile, Chiyotaikai bounced back from a surprise loss on Tuesday as the Kyushu-born ozeki quickly catapulted komusubi Tochinohana (1-3) onto the ringside cushions to improve to 3-1.

In another bout, No. 9 maegashira Kaiho completed a miserable day for Mongolia as he rugby-tackled sixth-ranked maegashira Kyokutenho to leave both wrestlers on a 2-2 record.

Results of main bouts on
4th day of Kyushu sumo

TOKYO, Nov. 8 (Kyodo) - Results of makuuchi division bouts on Wednesday, the fourth day of the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament at Fukuoka Kokusai Center (+ denotes juryo division wrestler):

Won Technique Lost
+Daishi 3-1 uwatenage Otsukasa 3-1
Tamanonada 3-1 oshidashi Minatofuji 1-3
Kotoryu 2-2 yorikiri Jumonji 1-3
Tamakasuga 2-2 tsukiotoshi Wakakosho 1-3
Kotomitsuki 3-1 yorikiri Tokitsuumi 2-2
Takanowaka 4-0 tsukitaoshi Asanowaka 1-3
Kotonowaka 3-1 uwatenage Aminishiki 0-4
Oginishiki 2-2 hatakikomi Tochisakae 0-4
Kaiho 2-2 watashikomi Kyokutenho 2-2
Tochinonada 3-1 oshidashi Toki 2-2
Tosanoumi 3-1 yorikiri Hamanoshima 1-3
Higonoumi 1-3 uwatedashinage Wakanoyama 1-3
Dejima 4-0 oshidashi Takatoriki 0-4
Chiyotaikai 3-1 oshidashi Tochinohana 1-3
Kaio 3-1 yorikiri Hayateumi 1-3
Akinoshima 1-3 hatakikomi Musoyama 2-2
Miyabiyama 4-0 tsukiotoshi Chiyotenzan 2-2
Takanohana 4-0 yoritaoshi Wakanosato 1-3
Akebono 3-1 oshidashi Takanonami 0-4
Musashimaru 4-0 yorikiri Kyokushuzan 1-3

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Thursday's bouts

+Asashoryu x - x Tamanonada
Tokitsuumi 3 - 2 Otsukasa
Kotoryu 0 - 0 Wakakosho
Minatofuji 0 - 0 Aminishiki
Tamakasuga 0 - 0 Jumonji
Asanowaka 0 - 0 Kotomitsuki
Oginishiki 0 - 1 Takanowaka
Kaiho 1 - 2 Tochinonada
Takatoriki 0 - 0 Tochisakae
Tosanoumi 7 - 11 Kotonowaka
Kyokutenho 3 - 3 Chiyotenzan
Akinoshima 5 - 2 Toki
Hayateumi 2 - 0 Miyabiyama
Dejima 1 - 0 Tochinohana
Hamanoshima 1 - 3 Chiyotaikai
Kaio 3 - 0 Wakanoyama
Takanonami 20 - 14 Musoyama
Musashimaru 2 - 1 Wakanosato
Takanohana 10 - 0 Kyokushuzan
Higonoumi 1 - 3 Akebono

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Musashimaru remains
undefeated at 4-0

FUKUOKA, Japan (AP) - Musashimaru remained undefeated at 4-0 along with his fellow yokozuna (grand champion) Takanohana on Wednesday, the fourth day of the 15-day Kyushu Grand Sumo tournament.

Other undefeated wrestlers were ozekis (champions) Dejima and Miyabiyama and No. 8 maegashira (senior wrestler) Takanowaka.

In the day's final bout at the Fukuoka Kokusai Center, Hawaiian-born Musashimaru, whose real name is Fiamalu Penitani, sent out No. 3 maegashira Kyokushuzan, or Mongolian Batbayar Davaa, leaving Kyokushuzan at 1-3.

Takanohana crushed down newly promoted komusubi (junior champion second class) Wakanosato. Wakanosato is 1-3.

Third yokozuna Akebono, or Chad Rowan from Hawaii, charged winless sekiwake (junior champion) Takanonami with hand thrusts and forced him out.

In other major bouts, Miyabiyama fought off No. 3 maegashira Chiyotenzan's arm throw and pushing attempts and pushed him down, leaving Chiyotenzan at 2-2.

Ozeki Dejima pushed out winless No. 5 maegashira Takatoriki.

No. 1 maegashira Akinoshima sidestepped to left in the initial charge and slapped down ozeki Musoyama for his first victory against three defeats. Musoyama is 2-2.

Ozeki Kaio fought off sekiwake Hayateumi's arm throw at the ring's edge and twisted him out to improve his record to 3-1. Hayateumi is 1-3.

Ozeki Chiyotaikai charged Komusubi Tochinohana with hand thrusts and bulldozed him out for his third victory against one defeat. Tochinohana is 1-3.

No. 8 maegashira Takanowaka overpowered No. 11 maegashira Asanowaka in hand thrusts and thrust him down, leaving Asanowaka at 1-3.

No. 9 maegashira Kaiho crushed down No. 6 maegashira Kyokutenho, or Mongolian Tsevegnyam Nyamjav, leaving both wrestlers at 2-2.

In the 26-member juryo division, just below the senior makuuchi division, No. 1-ranked Sentoryu (3-1), or American Henry Armstrong Miller, sent out No. 5-ranked Terao (2-2) from behind.

No. 3-ranked Asashoyu (3-1), or Mongolian Dolgorsvren Dagvadrj, thrust out No. 6-ranked Aogiyama (1-3).

In makushita, the top junior division, No. 11-ranked Wakaazuma (2-0), or Yoshinobu Kuroda from Brazil sent out No. 10-ranked Daimanazuru from behind.

No. 51-ranked Kyokutenzan (2-0), or Mongolian Enkhbat Batmunkha, thrust down No. 52-ranked Hokutoarashi.

No. 56-ranked Asasekiryu (0-2), or Mongolian Badaarch Dashunyam, was driven out by No. 55-ranked Kyokushoten.

In sandame, the second highest junior division, No. 35-ranked Azumaoh (0-2), or Brazilian Yasuto Morita, was sent out by No. 36-ranked Wakasatsuma.

In jonidan, the third highest junior division, No. 6-ranked Takaoh (0-2), or Wang Yu from Shanghai, China, was thrust out by No. 8-ranked Tetsuhikari.

No. 29-ranked Ryuo (1-1), or Mongolian Erkhem Ochirsanchirbold, pushed out No. 30-ranked Kainoyama.

No. 97-ranked Kitakasuga (2-0), or Mongolian Tsolmonbayar Munkhbat, sent out No. 99-ranked Orora (1-1), or Russian Mikhakhanov Anatolivaleryevich.

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

Results of main sumo bouts

FUKUOKA, Japan (AP) - Results of main bouts Wednesday, the fourth day of the 15-day Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament at Fukuoka Kokusai Center:

Winners Losers
Daishi (juryo) (3-1) Otsukasa (3-1)
Tamanonada (3-1) Minatofuji (1-3)
Kotoryu (2-2) Jumonji (1-3)
Tamakasuga (2-2) Wakakosho (1-3)
Kotomitsuki (3-1) Tokitsuumi (2-2)
Takanowaka (4-0) Asanowaka (1-3)
Kotonowaka (3-1) Aminishiki (0-4)
Oginishiki (2-2) Tochisakae (0-4)
Kaiho (2-2) Kyokutenho (2-2)
Tochinonada (3-1) Toki (2-2)
Tosanoumi (3-1) Hamanoshima (1-3)
Higonoumi (1-3) Wakanoyama (1-3)
Dejima (4-0) Takatoriki (0-4)
Chiyotaikai (3-1) Tochinohana (1-3)
Kaio (3-1) Hayateumi (1-3)
Akinoshima (1-3) Musoyama (2-2)
Miyabiyama (4-0) Chiyotenzan (2-2)
Takanohana (4-0) Wakanosato (1-3)
Akebono (3-1) Takanonami (0-4)
Musashimaru (4-0) Kyokushuzan (1-3)

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Juryo Division

Asashoyu (3-1) Aogiyama (1-3)
Sentoryu (3-1) Terao (2-2)

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Junior Divisions:

Makushita

Wakaazuma (2-0) Daimanazuru
Kyokutenzan (2-0) Hokutoarashi
Kyokushoten Asasekiryu (0-2)

Sandanme

Wakasatsuma Azumaoh (0-2)

Jonidan

Tetsuhikari Takaoh (0-2)
Ryuo (1-1) Kainoyama
Kitakasuga (2-0) 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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Thursday's main bouts:

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

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Results in Scoreboard

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