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Yokozuna duo
unbeaten, 4 ozeki fall
in New Year sumo

TOKYO, Jan. 9 (Kyodo) -- Yokozuna Takanohana and Musashimaru maintained their unbeaten records in convincing fashion Tuesday, but four of the five ozeki tumbled on the upset-filled third day of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament.

The grand champions head the leading group of five wrestlers at 3-0, which also includes rank-and-filers Kyokutenho, Tokitsuumi and Asashoryu, in the 15-day tournament at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan.

Once mighty Takanohana, aiming for his first tournament victory since September 1998, pulled off yet another solid win as the holder of 20 Emperor's Cups shoved winless komusubi Takanowaka out of the ring in a matter of seconds.

In a similar belt-gripping duel, Musashimaru overpowered veteran top maegashira Takanonami, a former ozeki who backpedaled over the straw ridge with little resistance for his second defeat.

Twenty-four hours after savoring a rare upset-free day, ozeki bit the dust one by one at the hands of unfancied lower-ranked wrestlers.

Chiyotaikai suffered his first defeat in the most unexpected manner when the Kokonoe stable grappler was caught off-balance moments after the face-off and crumbled to his right in a bout against komusubi Tochinonada (1-2).

Chiyotaikai, whose in-form sumo on the first two days had elevated him to favorite status, picked up an ankle injury in the process and was carried off to the medical room in a wheelchair, before announcing his withdrawal from the New Year meet.

Musoyama (2-1) and Dejima (1-2) failed to add the finishing touches to their aggressive shoves and saw wins slip through their hands by last-gasp, ring-edge maneuvers from third-ranked maegashira Kaiho (1-2) and top maegashira Tochisakae (1-2), respectively.

Miyabiyama was uncharacteristically overpowered with a midring throw by No. 2 maegashira Kotonowaka (1-2) in a long bout that lasted more than one minute.

Veteran Kaio (2-1) was the only ozeki to avoid an upset with a force-out win against newly promoted sekiwake Kotomitsuki (1-2).

It was a good day for the Mongolians in the maegashira ranks, with eighth-ranked maegashira Kyokutenho and No. 12 Asashoryu extending their unbeaten runs with victories over winless grapplers.

Kyokutenho bulldozed out winless No. 6 Tochinohana while Asashoryu tripped up 13th-ranked Tamarikido in a meeting between top-flight debutantes. No. 10 Kyokushuzan notched his first win with a powerful throw that handed No. 11 Kinkaiyama his second loss.

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Injured Chiyotaikai pulls out

TOKYO, Jan. 9 (Kyodo) -- Ozeki Chiyotaikai announced his withdrawal from the ongoing New Year Grand Sumo Tournament after sustaining an ankle injury in his loss to komusubi Tochinonada on Tuesday.

Chiyotaikai suffered ligament and bone damage in his right ankle, and a doctor told the 24-year-old Kokonoe stable wrestler he needs two months to recover. The defeat was his first in the 15-day tournament being held at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo.

Stablemaster Kokonoe said Chiyotaikai apparently aggravated the minor injury he originally picked up Monday when he attempted a leg-trip maneuver that led him to a win against top maegashira Takanonami.

"Obviously, Chiyotaikai can't wrestle. It's necessary for him to recover completely even if his absence from the dohyo forces his demotion from the ozeki rank," Kokonoe said.

Chiyotaikai's withdrawal is his third from a Grand Sumo Tournament in his eight-year career. Komusubi Takanowaka, who was scheduled to meet Chiyotaikai on Wednesday, will earn a win by default.

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Results

TOKYO, Jan. 9 (Kyodo) - Results of makuuchi division bouts Tuesday, the third day of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo:

Won -- Technique -- Lost
Daishi 2-1 -- tsukiotoshi -- Wakakosho 1-2
Asashoryu 3-0 -- sotogake -- Tamarikido 0-3
Takatoriki 2-1 -- oshidashi -- Asanowaka 2-1
Tokitsuumi 3-0 -- yorikiri -- Minatofuji 1-2
Hamanoshima 2-1 -- yorikiri -- Kinkaiyama 1-2
Kyokushuzan 1-2 -- uwatenage -- Higonoumi 1-2
Kyokutenho 3-0 -- yorikiri -- Tochinohana 0-3
Kotoryu 2-1 -- yorikiri -- Tamakasuga 1-2
Tochiazuma 2-1 -- tsukiotoshi -- Tosanoumi 1-2
Akinoshima 2-1 -- sukuinage -- Chiyotenzan 1-2
Wakanosato 2-1 -- tsukiotoshi -- Wakanoyama 1-2
Tochinonada 1-2 -- oshitaoshi -- Chiyotaikai 2-1
Kaio 2-1 -- oshidashi -- Kotomitsuki 1-2
Kaiho 1-2 -- oshidashi -- Musoyama 2-1
Kotonowaka 1-2 -- uwatenage -- Miyabiyama 2-1
Tochisakae 1-2 -- hatakikomi -- Dejima 1-2
Takanohana 3-0 -- yorikiri -- Takanowaka 0-3
Musashimaru 3-0 -- yorikiri -- Takanonami 1-2

Junior Divisions:

Makushita

Daimanazuru Wakaazuma (1-1)
Kyokutenzan (2-0) Kotohikari

Sandanme

Ryuo (2-0) Ooazuma

Jonidan

Takaoh (2-0) Seigo
Kotohirayama Fudoyama (1-1)
Tsunenoumi Kitakasuga (1-1)
Orora (1-1) Taniyama
Daionji (2-0) Ikyu

Jonokuchi

Tamatsurugi Hoshihikari (1-1)
Akanoume Koryu (0-2)

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

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Wednesday's bouts

Daishi 5 - 4 Asanowaka
Takatoriki 0 - 0 Wakakosho
Kinkaiyama 0 - 0 Asashoryu
Kyokushuzan 0 - 0 Tamarikido
Hamanoshima 6 - 10 Minatofuji
Higonoumi 2 - 4 Kyokutenho
Tokitsuumi 2 - 6 Kotoryu
Wakanoyama 1 - 1 Tochinohana
Chiyotenzan 4 - 1 Kaiho
Kotonowaka 0 - 1 Tochisakae
Wakanosato 1 - 2 Takanonami
Dejima 9 - 7 Tosanoumi
Takanowaka 1 - 0 Chiyotaikai
Kaio 8 - 3 Tochinonada
Tamakasuga 6 - 9 Musoyama
Akinoshima 5 - 5 Miyabiyama
Tochiazuma 4 - 12 Musashimaru
Takanohana 1 - 0 Kotomitsuki

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Kyodo News Service