Sumo
OSAKA, March 14 (Kyodo) - Ozeki Kaio stormed to a perfect 4-0 record at the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament on Wednesday, while yokozuna pair Takanohana and Musashimaru bounced back convincingly after shock defeats 24 hours earlier. Kaio, trio of rank-and-
filers lead field at
spring sumoKaio retained his share of the lead after tying up Tochinonada (2-2) at the charge and then sending the sekiwake sprawling back across the raised ring with a right-handed throw to continue his hot streak in the 15-day tourney at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium.
No. 2 maegashira Chiyotenzan, eighth-ranked Tosanoumi and veteran Terao also remained unbeaten to finish the day in a tie for the lead with Kaio.
Takanohana was in no mood to lose for a second day running and mugged Kotomitsuki (1-3) at the charge before plastering the No. 3 maegashira onto the dirt surface with an arm throw to move onto 3-1.
Meanwhile, Musashimaru made short work of Mongolian No. 5 maegashira Kyokushuzan, who dug into his bag of tricks but came up empty against the Samoan-born giant and was quickly driven out in the day's final bout.
Dejima thought he had done enough to preserve his unbeaten record after barging out No. 1 maegashira Kotoryu (1-3), but the ringside judges ruled that the ozeki had hit the deck first, leaving Kaio out alone among the elite "sanyaku" wrestlers.
A losing record in the New Year tourney means Dejima must post a majority of wins in Osaka to retain his ozeki rank.
Top-ranked maegashira Kyokutenho caused a mini upset for his first win of the tourney as the Mongolian grappler hauled down ozeki Musoyama, who slipped out of a tie for the lead with his first defeat.
Struggling ozeki Miyabiyama caught a lucky break when No. 2 maegashira Hayateumi inadvertently stepped over the edge of the straw bales as he attempted to pull off a leg trip, leaving both wrestlers on 2-2.
Chiyotenzan kept his perfect record intact as the hometown favorite bundled out winless komusubi Wakanoyama, while Terao, a No. 12 maegashira, muscled out 14th-ranked Daishi (1-3) for his fourth straight win.
Meanwhile, Mongolian No. 6 maegashira Asashoryu lost a bruising encounter with seventh-ranked Tamakasuga (3-1) and left the ring with a 2-2 record.
OSAKA, March 14 (Kyodo) - Results of makuuchi division bouts Wednesday, the fourth day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium (+ denotes juryo division wrestler): Results of main bouts on
4th day of spring sumo
Won Technique Lost
Minatofuji 1-3 oshidashi Kinkaiyama 2-2
Jumonji 1-2 kotenage +Wakatsutomu 3-1
Otsukasa 3-1 hatakikomi Aminishiki 2-2
Terao 4-0 yorikiri Daishi 1-3
Tamanoshima 3-1 yorikiri Hamanoshima 1-3
Tochinohana 3-1 yorikiri Asanowaka 1-3
Tosanoumi 4-0 oshidashi Kaiho 2-2
Higonoumi 1-3 oshidashi Takatoriki 0-4
Tamakasuga 3-1 kotenage Asashoryu 2-2
Tochisakae 1-3 okuridashi Kotonowaka 2-2
Akinoshima 2-2 yorikiri Takanowaka 2-2
Tokitsuumi 2-2 yorikiri Takanonami 2-2
Chiyotenzan 4-0 okuridashi Wakanoyama 0-4
Wakanosato 3-1 sukuinage Tochiazuma 0-4
Miyabiyama 2-2 isamiashi Hayateumi 2-2
Kyokutenho 1-3 hatakikomi Musoyama 3-1
Kaio 4-0 uwatenage Tochinonada 2-2
Kotoryu 1-3 tsukiotoshi Dejima 3-1
Takanohana 3-1 uwatenage Kotomitsuki 1-3
Musashimaru 3-1 yorikiri Kyokushuzan 0-4
Thursday's bouts
Aminishiki x - x +Daizen
Minatofuji 1 - 0 Jumonji
Kinkaiyama 2 - 1 Terao
Otsukasa 1 - 0 Tochinohana
Hamanoshima 5 - 5 Daishi
Asanowaka 5 - 9 Takatoriki
Kaiho 1 - 0 Tamanoshima
Tamakasuga 5 - 7 Higonoumi
Tosanoumi 8 - 12 Kotonowaka
Tochisakae 1 - 0 Kyokushuzan
Tokitsuumi 0 - 2 Akinoshima
Takanonami 0 - 0 Asashoryu
Takanowaka 0 - 1 Hayateumi
Wakanosato 3 - 2 Tochinonada
Tochiazuma 10 - 7 Dejima
Miyabiyama 1 - 1 Kotomitsuki
Chiyotenzan 0 - 2 Musoyama
Kaio 2 - 0 Kyokutenho
Kotoryu 1 - 4 Musashimaru
Takanohana 4 - 0 Wakanoyama
OSAKA, Japan (AP) - Ozeki (champion) Kaio remained undefeated at 4-0, but his fellow ozeki (champions) Dejima and Musoyama suffered their first defeats Wednesday, the fourth day of the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo tournament. Dejima, Musoyama
suffer upset defeatsTerao, the oldest wrestler at 38, also stayed perfect at 4-0, along with two other lower-ranked wrestlers - Tosanoumi and Chiyotenzan.
In the day's final bout at the Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium in western Japan, yokozuna (grand champion) Musashimaru, or Fiamalu Penitani from Hawaii, grabbed No. 5 maegashira (senior wrestler) Kyokushuzan's belt and forced him out to improve to 3-1.
Kyokushuzan, or Mongolian Batbayar Davaa, is 0-4.
Yokozuna Takanohana fought off No. 3 maegashira Kotomitsuki's hand thrusts, grabbed his foe's belt and threw him down for his third victory against one defeat. Kotomitsuki is 1-3.
In other major bouts, Kaio drove sekiwake (junior champion) Tochinonada to the ring's edge and threw him down, leaving Tochinonada at 2-2.
No. 12 maegashira Terao charged No. 14 maegashira Daishi with hand thrusts and sent him out, leaving Daishi at 1-3.
No. 1 maegashira Kyokutenho, or Mongolian Tsevegnyam Nyamjav, charged ozeki Musoyama with a series of hand thrusts and pulled him down for his first victory against three defeats. Musoyama is 3-1.
No. 1 maegashira Kotoryu held off Dejima's driving attempt at the ring's edge and twisted him down for his first victory against three defeats. Dejima is 3-1.
No. 2 maegashira Chiyotenzan dodged winless komusubi (junior champion second class) Wakanoyama's driving attempt and sent him out from behind.
No. 8 maegashira Tosanoumi charged No. 9 maegashira Kaiho with hand thrusts and thrust him out, leaving Kaiho at 2-2.
No. 7 maegashira Tamakasuga fought off No. 6 maegashira Asashoryu's hand thrusts and threw him out for his third victory against one defeat. Asashoryu, or Mongolian Dolgorsvren Dagvadrj, is 2-2.
In the 26-member juryo division, just below the senior makuuchi division, No. 9-ranked Sentoryu, or American Henry Armstrong Miller, charged No. 6-ranked Wakatoryu with a series of hand thrusts and sent him out for his third victory against one defeat. Wakatoryu is 2-2.
No. 7-ranked Kuniazuma, or Brazilian Vander Ramos, suffered his third defeat against one victory, losing to No. 4-ranked Kitazakura by a driving technique. Kitazakura is 2-2.
In makushita, the top junior division, No. 13-ranked Hoshitango (2-0), or Argentine Imach Marcelo Salomon, slapped down No. 12-ranked Midorifji.
No. 26-ranked Kyokutenzan (2-0), or Mongolian Enkhbat Batmunkha, sent out No. 25-ranked Asofuji from behind.
No. 47-ranked Asasekiryu (1-1), or Mongolian Badaarch Dashunyam, was sent out by No. 31-ranked Tokiyutaka.
In sandanme, the second highest junior division, No. 68-ranked Hakuba (0-2), or Mongolian Ariunbayar Unurjargal, was thrust out by No. 70-ranked Surugatsukasa.
No. 77-ranked Ryuo (1-1), or Mongolian Erkhem Ochirsanchirbold, threw down No. 76-ranked Kasugakuni.
No. 100-ranked Fudoyama (1-1), or Mongolian Nyamjuv Luvsandorj, was driven out by No. 2-ranked Wakanoshima, of jonidan, the third highest junior division.
In jonidan, No. 10-ranked Takao (0-1), or Wang Yu from Shanghai, China, was driven out by No. 8-ranked Sasakawa.
No. 43-ranked Daibanjaku (2-0), or Mongolian batsukh Khaidavmunkh, downed No. 41-ranked Kairyu by an arm throw.
No. 74-ranked Kitakasuga (1-1), or Mongolian Tsolmonbayar Munkhbat, was slapped down by No. 76-ranked Asatenzan.
No. 106-ranked Hoshizakura (2-0), or Mongolian Myagmar Altangerel, downed No. 100-ranked Yamane by a leg trick.
No. 107-ranked Hoshihikari (1-1), or Mongolian Duvchin Lkhagvaa, threw down No. 109-ranked Bentenmaru.
In jonokuchi, the lowest junior division, No. 29-ranked Ama (1-1), or Mongolian Davaanyam Byambadorj Yam, threw down No. 28-ranked Daishouma.
No. 30-ranked Daitenzan (1-1), or Mongolian Ganbat Batzaya, crushed down No. 34-ranked Matsushita.
Wrestlers in junior divisions have only seven bouts during the 15-day tournament.
OSAKA, Japan (AP) - Results of main bouts Wednesday, the fourth day of the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium: Results of Main Sumo Bouts
Winners Losers
Minatofuji (1-3) Kinkaiyama (2-2)
Jumonji (2-2) Wakatsutomu (juryo) (3-1)
Otsukasa (3-1) Aminishiki (2-2)
Terao (4-0) Daishi (1-3)
Tamanoshima (3-1) Hamanoshima (1-3)
Tochinohana (3-1) Asanowaka (1-3)
Tosanoumi (4-0) Kaiho (2-2)
Higonoumi (1-3) Takatoriki (0-4)
Tamakasuga (3-1) Asashoryu (2-2)
Tochisakae (1-3) Kotonowaka (2-2)
Akinoshima (2-2) Takanowaka (2-2)
Tokitsuumi (2-2) Takanonami (2-2)
Chiyotenzan (4-0) Wakanoyama (0-4)
Wakanosato (3-1) Tochiazuma (0-4)
Miyabiyama (2-2) Hayateumi (2-2)
Kyokutenho (1-3) Musoyama (3-1)
Kaio (4-0) Tochinonada (2-2)
Kotoryu (1-3) Dejima (3-1)
Takanohana (3-1) Kotomitsuki (1-3)
Musashimaru (3-1) Kyokushuzan (0-4)
Juryo Division
Sentoryu (3-1) Wakotoryu (2-2)
Kitazakura (2-2) Kuniazuma (1-3)
Junior Divisions:
Makushita
Hoshitango (2-0) Midorifuji
Kyokutenzan (2-0) Asofuji
Tokiyutaka Asasekiryu (1-1)
Sandanme
Surugatsukasa Hakuba (0-2)
Ryuo (1-1) Kasugakuni
Wakanoshima Fudoyama (1-1)
Jonidan
Sasakawa Takao (0-1)
Daibanjaku (2-0) Kairyu
Asatenzan Kitakasuga (1-1)
Hoshizakura (2-0) Yamane
Hoshihikari (1-1) Bentenmaru
Jonokuchi
Ama (1-10 Daishouma
Daitenzan (1-1) Matsushita(Junior division wrestlers have only seven bouts during the tournament.
Records of foreign wrestlers' opponents were not available.)
Thursday's main bouts:
Aminishiki Daizen (juryo)
Minatofuji Jumonji
Kinkaiyama Terao
Otsukasa Tochinohana
Hamanoshima Daishi
Asanowaka Takatoriki
Kaiho Tamanoshima
Tamakasuga Higonoumi
Tosanoumi Kotonowaka
Tochisakae Kyokushuzan
Tokitsuumi Akinoshima
Takanonami Asashoryu
Takanowaka Hayateumi
Wakanosato Tochinonada
Tochiazuma Dejima
Miyabiyama Kotomitsuki
Chiyotenzan Musoyama
Kaio Kyokutenho
Kotoryu Musashimaru
Takanohana Wakanoyama
For more sumo information online, try:
Sumo Web
Da Kine Sumo E-zine
Ozumo
Kyodo News Service