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Kotomitsuki keeps
pressure on Akebono
in Kyushu sumo

FUKUOKA, Nov. 18 (Kyodo) - No. 9 maegashira Kotomitsuki tripped up ozeki Miyabiyama for his 12th win of the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament on Saturday to remain the only wrestler with a chance to derail the Akebono championship express.

Akebono, for his part, backed out fellow yokozuna Takanohana in the day's final bout at Fukuoka Kokusai Center to improve to 13-1 in the 15-day tourney after watching ozeki Kaio upset Kyushu defending champion and title hopeful Musashimaru.

Akebono can win his second championship of the year and 11th overall with a win over Musashimaru on Sunday or if Kotomitsuki losses to ozeki Musoyama.

A win by the Sadogatake stable upstart who won the juryo division title in September and a loss by Akebono would leave both wrestlers at 13-2 with the championship to be decided in a winner-take-all playoff.

In Saturday's key bout, Kotomitsuki (12-2) caught Miyabiyama (9-5) leaning too heavily on him during a stalemate at center-ring, twisting the ozeki to the dirt with an inside thigh trap on the right side and a quick tug on the left.

Nagoya champion Akebono showed some fancy footwork in his bout with Takanohana (10-4), skipping to the right at the face-off in a move worthy of a lightweight and then powering back into his stunned opponent to drive him out of the ring.

Needing a win to keep alive his own title hopes, Musashimaru had Kaio back-pedaling throughout their match and appeared ready to knock the ozeki out of the ring for his 12th win.

Instead, Kaio spun under the yokozuna's right arm as they tumbled out of the ring and Musashimaru put his hand down first to leave both wrestlers at 11-3.

Earlier, Musoyama backed Chiyotaikai over the straw ridge to saddle the Oita Prefecture native with his fourth straight loss while leaving both ozeki at 9-5.

Komusubi Wakanosato (8-6), meanwhile, muscled out ozeki Dejima (8-6) for his seventh win in a row to secure a winning record in his debut at sumo's upper ranks and a likely promotion to sekiwake for the New Year tournament in January.

Kyokutenho, a No. 6 maegashira from Mongolia, slapped down 11th-ranked Asanowaka (5-9) for his seventh win and a chance to move up the rankings for January with a win Sunday.

Mongolian compatriot Kyokushuzan was pulled down to his 10th loss by fourth-ranked Tosanoumi (7-7) and will be taking a hefty slide down the rankings sheet from his current perch at No. 3 maegashira.

Results of main bouts on
14th day of Kyushu sumo

FUKUOKA, Nov. 18 (Kyodo) - Results of makuuchi division bouts Saturday, the 14th day of the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament at Fukuoka Kokusai Center (+ denotes juryo division wrestler):

Won Technique Lost
+Daishi 9-5 yorikiri Wakakosho 6-8
Minatofuji 8-6 yorikiri Otsukasa 5-9
+Oikari 4-10 oshitaoshi Jumonji 5-9
Tamanonada 6-8 oshidashi Aminishiki 1-13
Kaiho 8-6 okuridashi Tamakasuga 7-7
Takanowaka 10-4 yoritaoshi Kotoryu 7-7
Kotonowaka 7-7 yorikiri Oginishiki 7-7
Tochinonada 9-5 oshidashi Tokitsuumi 8-6
Kyokutenho 7-7 hatakikomi Asanowaka 5-9
Takatoriki 4-10 oshidashi Toki 5-9
Tosanoumi 7-7 hatakikomi Kyokushuzan 4-10
Higonoumi 5-9 shitatedashinage Akinoshima 4-10
Tochisakae 7-7 oshidashi Wakanoyama 5-9
Hamanoshima 3-11 sukuinage Tochinohana 3-11
Takanonami 5-9 shitatenage Chiyotenzan 6-8
Wakanosato 8-6 yorikiri Dejima 8-6
Musoyama 9-5 yorikiri Chiyotaikai 9-5
Kotomitsuki 12-2 uchimuso Miyabiyama 9-5
Kaio 11-3 ipponzeoi Musashimaru 11-3
Akebono 13-1 yorikiri Takanohana 10-4

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Sunday's bouts

Wakakosho x - x +Asashoryu
+Kinkaiyama x - x Jumonji
Otsukasa 3 - 0 Asanowaka
Tokitsuumi 1 - 3 Takanowaka
Oginishiki 2 - 4 Tamakasuga
Tochinonada 1 - 1 Kyokutenho
Tochisakae 1 - 0 Minatofuji
Aminishiki 0 - 0 Toki
Takatoriki 0 - 0 Tamanonada
Tosanoumi 6 - 1 Kotoryu
Kyokushuzan 3 - 7 Hamanoshima
Higonoumi 8 - 7 Kotonowaka
Akinoshima 2 - 4 Chiyotenzan
Kaiho 1 - 4 Wakanosato
Tochinohana 1 - 0 Wakanoyama
Kotomitsuki 0 - 0 Musoyama
Takanonami 6 - 3 Miyabiyama
Dejima 5 - 8 Chiyotaikai
Takanohana 23 - 12 Kaio
Musashimaru 16 - 21 Akebono

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Akebono
keeps 13-1 solo lead,
Musashimaru loses

FUKUOKA, Japan (AP) - Hawaiian-born yokozuna (grand champion) Akebono pushed out his rival Takanohana on Saturday, moving one step closer to grab his 11th tournament victory in the 15-day Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament.

Underdog Kotomitsuki was still trailing Akebono with just one victory behind at 12-2, and yokozuna Musashimaru suffered his third defeat.

In the day's final match at Fukuoka Kokusai Center, Akebono, or Chad Rowan, gripped yokozuna Takanohana from both sides and dragged him to the ringside, then gave him a final, decisive push. Takanohana fell to 10-4.

Musashimaru, or Fiamalu Penitani from Hawaii, had his right arm grabbed by ozeki (champion) Kaio and was defenselessly dragged to the ringside, where he was thrown down in a dramatic swirl. Both Musashimaru and Kaio are 11-3.

Kotomitsuki, who is No. 9 maegashira (senior wrestler), pulled ozeki Miyabiyama's arm and sent him to the ground after surviving a series of slaps and thrusts. Miyabiyama slipped to 9-5.

In other major bouts, No. 3 maegashira Kyokushuzan (4-10), or Mongolian Batvayar Davaa, was pulled by the neck by No. 4 maegashira Tosanoumi and dived to the ground. Tosanoumi is 7-7.

No. 6 maegashira Kyokutenho (7-7), or Mongolian Tsevegnyam Nyamjav, quickly pushed down No. 11 maegashira Asanowaka (5-9) at the back of his neck before he fully rose from the initial squatting position.

In the 26-member juryo, just below the senior makuuchi division, No. 3-ranked Asashoryu, or Mongolian Dolgorsvren Dagvadrj, pushed down No. 13-ranked Tomonohana (8-6) for his 11th victory against three losses.

Results of main sumo bouts

FUKUOKA, Japan (AP) - Results of main bouts Saturday, the 14th day of the 15-day Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament at Fukuoka Kokusai Center:

Winners Losers
Daishi (juryo)(9-5) Wakakosho (6-8)
Minatofuji(8-6) Otsukasa (5-9)
Oikari (4-10) Jumonji (5-9)
Tamanonada (6-8) Aminishiki(1-13)
Kaiho (8-6) Tamakasuga(7-7)
Takanowaka(10-4) Kotoryu (7-7)
Kotonowaka (7-7) Oginishiki(7-7)
Tochinonada (9-5) Tokitsuumi(8-6)
Kyokutenho (7-7) Asanowaka (5-9)
Takatoriki(4-10) Toki(5-9)
Tosanoumi(7-7) Kyokushuzan (4-10)
Higonoumi(5-9) Akinoshima(4-10)
Tochisakae(7-7) Wakanoyama(5-9)
Hamanoshima (3-11) Tochinohana(3-11)
Takanonami(5-9) Chiyotenzan(6-8)
Wakanosato (8-6) Dejima (8-6)
Musoyama (9-5) Chiyotaikai(9-5)
Kotomitsuki (12-2) Miyabiyama (9-5)
kaio (11-3) Musashimaru (11-3)
Akebono (13-1) Takanohana (10-4)

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Juryo Division

Asashoryu (11-4) Tomonohana (8-6)

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Sunday's main bouts:

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

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Kyodo News Service