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Akebono clinches
Kyushu sumo with
win over Musashimaru

FUKUOKA, Nov. 19 (Kyodo) -- Akebono took care of business Sunday as he muscled out fellow yokozuna Musashimaru to win the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament, disappointing neutrals who wanted to see a championship playoff.

There was an element of anti-climax at Fukuoka Kokusai Center as Akebono dominated the final bout to finish on a 14-1 record after watching tournament surprise Kotomitsuki post his 13th win to set up a possible playoff, provided Musashimaru would play ball.

Akebono was reading a different script, however, and immediately barged Musashimaru backwards at the face-off and, after some dogged resistance at the edge, the Hawaiian-born giant prevailed to collect his second Emperor's Cup this year and the 11th of his career.

"This is a sweet moment that makes me glad I worked so hard to come back after a tough year. I want to show the new, young wrestlers who's boss next year," said Akebono, who was making his first appearance at the Kyushu tournament for four years.

No. 9 maegashira Kotomitsuki, who won the second-tier juryo division title at the autumn tourney, came close to completing a remarkable return to the elite makuuchi class, but there was no fairy tale ending, despite a final-day win against ozeki Musoyama (9-6).

Kotomitsuki quickly secured a strong right-hand belt grip and turned Musoyama through 720 degrees before catapulting him onto the ringside cushions from behind to a huge ovation from the packed Fukuoka crowd.

While there was no silverware, however, Kotomitsuki took home the Outstanding Performance Award, the Technique Prize and the Fighting Spirit Prize, the three special prizes awarded by the Japan Sumo Association to makuuchi wrestlers at the end of each meet.

Yokozuna Takanohana bounced back from back-to-back losses to his two grand champion rivals by closing down the attack of hometown favorite Kaio and bulldozing the ozeki out to leave both wrestlers at 11-4 for the 15-day meet.

Chiyotaikai mugged Dejima in a battle of ozeki, but failed to finish the job and his forward momentum took him over the straw ridge, giving both men a 9-6 record.

Takanonami, a former ozeki certain to lose his sekiwake rank, gave a lesson to ozeki Miyabiyama (9-6), cleverly twisting down the Musashigawa stable youngster to close out the tournament with his fifth straight win and finish on 6-9.

Wakanosato, who earned his first Outstanding Performance Award after recovering from a 1-6 start, completed a successful debut at komusubi by squashing ninth-ranked maegashira Kaiho (8-7) for his eighth straight win and finished at 9-6.

Mongolia's No. 6 maegashira Kyokutenho will slip down the rankings next time out after being bundled out by seventh-ranked Tochinonada, who posted his 10th win of the tourney and can look forward to a hefty promotion.

Already assured of a demotion, Mongolian No. 3 maegashira Kyokushuzan ended the meet with a whimper as he was tripped up by second-ranked Hamanoshima, leaving both wrestlers on 4-11.

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Results

FUKUOKA, Nov. 19 (Kyodo) - Results of makuuchi division bouts Sunday, the final day of the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament at Fukuoka Kokusai Center (+ denotes juryo division wrestler):

Won -- Technique -- Lost

Wakakosho 7-8 -- hikiotoshi -- +Asashoryu 11-4
+Kinkaiyama 12-3 -- uwatenage -- Jumonji 5-10
Asanowaka 6-9 -- tsukiotoshi -- Otsukasa 5-10
Takanowaka 11-4 -- yorikiri -- Tokitsuumi 8-7
Tamakasuga 8-7 -- okuridashi -- Oginishiki 7-8
Tochinonada 10-5 -- yorikiri -- Kyokutenho 7-8
Tochisakae 8-7 -- hikiotoshi -- Minatofuji 8-7
Toki 6-9 -- tsukidashi -- Aminishiki 1-14
Tamanonada 7-8 -- yorikiri -- Takatoriki 4-11
Kotoryu 8-7 -- yorikiri -- Tosanoumi 7-8
Hamanoshima 4-11 -- shitatenage -- Kyokushuzan 4-11
Kotonowaka 8-7 -- yorikiri -- Higonoumi 5-10
Akinoshima 5-10 -- hikiotoshi -- Chiyotenzan 6-9
Wakanosato 9-6 -- sukuinage -- Kaiho 8-7
Wakanoyama 6-9 -- kotenage -- Tochinohana 3-12
Kotomitsuki 13-2 -- okuridashi -- Musoyama 9-6
Takanonami 6-9 -- kotenage -- Miyabiyama 9-6
Dejima 9-6 -- tsukiotoshi -- Chiyotaikai 9-6
Takanohana 11-4 -- yorikiri -- Kaio 11-4
Akebono 14-1 -- yorikiri -- Musashimaru 11-4

Makushita

Wakaazuma (5-2) Torafusuyama
Kanechika Kasugao (4-3)

Jonidan

Daibanjaku (4-3) Ogata

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Division winners

Makuuchi - Akebono, Azumazeki stable, 14-1
Juryo - Kinkaiyama, Dewanoumi stable, 12-3
Makushita - Komahikari, Hanaregoma stable, 7-0
Sandanme - Dewanofuji, Dewanoumi stable, 7-0
Jonidan - Haraguchi, Hanakago stable 7-0 (winner in playoff)
Jonokuchi - Fusanonami, Tatsunami stable, 7-0

(Note: Wrestlers in sumo's four junior divisions compete in only seven bouts per tournament.)

Special awards for makuuchi division wrestlers

Outstanding Performance Award - Kotomitsuki, Sadogatake stable (1st), Wakanosato, Naruto stable (1st)

Technique Prize - Kotomitsuki (1st)

Fighting Spirit Prize - Kotomitsuki (1st)

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