Sumo
OSAKA, March 21 (Kyodo) - Ozeki Kaio gunned down veteran Takanonami for another comfortable win Wednesday to stay in pole position at 11-0 with four days remaining at the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament. Ozeki still leads at 11-0
Still lurking behind the leader at 10-1, however, is grand champion Takanohana while rank-and-filer Tamanoshima fell to ozeki Musoyama, leaving both men tied a further win back with yokozuna Musashimaru at the 15-day tournament at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium.
Kaio moved into position for a second Emperor's Cup as the Tomozuna stable grappler faced little resistance from Takanonami (4-7) at the charge and nonchalantly bulldozed the third-ranked maegashira out of the dohyo to preserve his flawless record.
Meanwhile, Takanohana, searching for his second straight title of 2001, kept the leader on his toes with another convincing win by combining a powerful shoulder charge with a vice-like right-hand grip to leave ozeki Dejima biting the dust with a 6-5 record.
Fellow grand champion Musashimaru (9-2) won in unorthodox fashion to stay in the title chase as the Samoan-born powerhouse got Mongolia's Asashoryu (7-4) in a tangle before dragging the No. 6 maegashira down from behind by the neck.
Ozeki Musoyama kept his outside championship hopes alive while denting Tamanoshima's title challenge by quickly wrapping the 10th-ranked maegashira up and dumping him to the dirt for the win.
Ozeki Miyabiyama quickly recovered from Tuesday's loss to Kaio and had little trouble in dragging down sekiwake Toichinonada (5-6) to post his sixth win against five losses.
Sekiwake Wakanosato moved up to 5-6 by barging Mongolian top-ranked maegashira Kyokutenho, who will face demotion next time out after tumbling to a 3-8 losing record.
On a miserable day for the Mongolian trio, No. 5 maegashira Kyokushuzan hobbled back to the dressing room with a heavily-strapped right leg nursing a 1-10 record after 10th-ranked Asanowaka bundled the former komusubi out to move to 4-7.
OSAKA, March 21 (Kyodo) - Results of makuuchi division bouts Wednesday, the 11th day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium (+ denotes juryo division wrestler): Results from day 11
Won Technique Lost
+Wakatsutomu 8-3 oshidashi Daishi 3-8
Jumonji 7-4 oshidashi Takatoriki 3-8
Kaiho 6-5 oshitaoshi Aminishiki 5-6
Higonoumi 6-5 hikiotoshi Tochinohana 6-5
Tosanoumi 7-4 yorikiri Minatofuji 4-7
Tochisakae 6-5 oshidashi Terao 6-5
Hamanoshima 5-6 yorikiri Kotonowaka 4-7
Asanowaka 4-7 oshidashi Kyokushuzan 1-10
Takanowaka 6-5 hatakikomi Otsukasa 7-4
Kotomitsuki 6-5 tsukidashi Tamakasuga 6-5
Hayateumi 5-6 yorikiri Akinoshima 3-8
Tokitsuumi 5-6 yorikiri Wakanoyama 2-9
Tochiazuma 6-5 yorikiri Chiyotenzan 4-7
Wakanosato 5-6 oshidashi Kyokutenho 3-8
Musoyama 9-2 sukuinage Tamanoshima 9-2
Kaio 11-0 oshidashi Takanonami 4-7
Miyabiyama 6-5 hatakikomi Tochinonada 5-6
Musashimaru 9-2 okuritaoshi Asashoryu 7-4
Takanohana 10-1 uwatenage Dejima 6-5
Thursday's bouts
Hamanoshima x - x +Hamanishiki
Kaiho 1 - 0 Jumonji
Aminishiki 0 - 2 Takatoriki
Terao 7 - 10 Higonoumi
Tamakasuga 7 - 11 Tosanoumi
Minatofuji 0 - 2 Tochisakae
Asashoryu 0 - 0 Otsukasa
Tochinohana 2 - 1 Kotonowaka
Akinoshima 8 - 2 Asanowaka
Daishi 1 - 1 Kyokushuzan
Kyokutenho 1 - 0 Kotomitsuki
Takanonami 4 - 4 Wakanoyama
Wakanosato 1 - 2 Chiyotenzan
Hayateumi 0 - 2 Tochinonada
Takanowaka 0 - 4 Musoyama
Kaio 0 - 0 Tamanoshima
Tokitsuumi 0 - 0 Dejima
Takanohana 7 - 0 Miyabiyama
Tochiazuma 4 - 13 Musashimaru
OSAKA, Japan (AP) - Ozeki (champion) Kaio bulldozed out lower-ranked Takanonami and kept the sole lead at 11-0 Wednesday with four days left in the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament. Kaio keeps sole lead at 11-0
Kaio was chased by yokozuna (grand champion) Takanohana at 10-1 and three wrestlers - yokozuna Musashimaru, ozeki Musoyama and No. 10 maegashira (senior wrestler) Tamanoshima at 9-2.
Wrestling before a full capacity crowd of 8,000 at the Osaka Prefectural (state) gymnasium in western Japan, Kaio fought off No. 3 maegashira Takanonami's hand thrusts and sent him out, leaving Takanonami at 4-7.
In the day's final bout, Takanohana grabbed ozeki Dejima's belt and threw him down, handing Dejima his fifth defeat against six victories.
Musashimaru, or Fiamalu Penitani from Hawaii, toppled No. 6 maegashira Asashoryu from behind. Asashoryu, or Mongolian Dolgorsvren Dagvadrj, is 7-4.
Musoyama quickly grabbed Tamanoshima's belt and threw him down, leaving both wrestlers at 9-2.
In other major bouts, ozeki Miyabiyama crushed out sekiwake (junior champion) Tochinonada for his sixth victory against five defeats. Tochinonada is 5-6.
Sekiwake Wakanosato charged No. 1 maegashira Kyokutenho, or Mongolian Tsevegnyam Nyamjav, with hand thrusts and sent him out for his fifth victory against six defeats. Kyokutenho is 3-8.
No. 5 maegashira Kyokushuzan, or Mongolian Batbayar Davaa, suffered his 10th defeat against one victory, losing to No. 10 maegashira Asanowaka with a driving technique. Asanowaka is 4-7.
In the 26-member juryo division, just below the senior makuuchi division, No. 8-ranked Harunoyama pushed out No. 9-ranked Sentoryu, or American Henry Armstrong Miller, and moved into the sole lead in the division at 9-2. Sentoryu is 8-3.
No. 7-ranked Kuniazuma, or Brazilian Vander Ramos, tossed down top-ranked Wakakosho for his fifth victory against six defeats. Wakakosho is 6-5.
In makushita, the top junior division just below the senior makuuchi division, No. 4-ranked Wakaazuma (3-3), or Yoshinobu Kuroda from Brazil, was pushed out by No. 2-ranked Sumanofuji.
No. 47-ranked Asasekiryu (3-3), or Mongolian Badaarch Dashunyam, was slapped down by No. 35-ranked Takinooto.
In sandanme, the second highest junior division, No. 67-ranked Azumao (3-3), or Brazilian Yasuto Morita, was thrown down by No. 60-ranked Yamamoto.
No. 94-ranked Ryuo (3-3), or Mongolian Erkhem Ochirsanchirbold, was pushed out by No. 79-ranked Otsunua.
No. 100-ranked Fudoyama (4-2), or Mongolian Nyamjuv Luvsandorj, was thrown down by No. 94-ranked Komahibiki.
In jonidan, the third highest junior division, No. 74-ranked Kitakasuga (4-2), or Mongolian tsolmonbayar Munkhbat, was forced out by No. 78-ranked Okinoryu.
No. 106-ranked Hoshizakura (5-1), or Mongolian Myagmar Altangerel, threw down No. 100-ranked Anju.
No. 112-ranked Ryukiyama (3-3), or South Korean Kim Soo-young, pushed out No. 77-ranked Bentenmaru.
No. 122-ranked Koryu (4-2), or Mongolian Erdenessukh Monkhorgil, was crushed down by No. 13-ranked Asamatsumoto.
In jonokuchi, the lowest junior division, No. 30-ranked Daitenzan (3-3), or Mongolian Ganbat Batzaya, toppled No. 34-ranked Jin with an arm throw.
No. 32-ranked Ako (4-2), or Mongolian Gandold Batundral, crushed down No. 25-ranked Matsubara.
Wrestlers in junior divisions have only seven bouts during the 15-day tournament.
OSAKA, Japan (AP) - Results of main bouts Wednesday, the 11th day of the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium: Results of main sumo bouts
Winners Losers
Wakatsutomu (juryo) (8-3) Daishi (3-8)
Jumonji (7-4) Takatoriki (3-8)
Kaiho (6-5) Aminishiki (5-6)
Higonoumi (6-5) Tochinohana (6-5)
Tosanoumi (7-4) Minatofuji (4-7)
Tochisakae (6-5) Terao (6-5)
Hamanoshima (5-6) Kotonowaka (4-7)
Asanowaka (4-7) Kyokushuzan (1-10)
Takanowaka (6-5) Otsukasa (7-4)
Kotomitsuki (6-5) Tamakasuga (6-5)
Hayateumi (5-6) Akinoshima (3-8)
Tokitsuumi (5-6) Wakanoyama (2-9)
Tochiazuma (6-5) Chiyotenzan (4-7)
Wakanosato (5-6) Kyokutenho (3-8)
Musoyama (9-2) Tamanoshima (9-2)
Kaio (11-0) Takanonami (4-7)
Miyabiyama (6-5) Tochinonada (5-6)
Musashimaru (9-2) Asashoryu (7-4)
Takanohana (10-1) Dejima (6-5)
Juryo Division
Harunoyama (9-2) Sentoryu (8-3)
Kuniazuma (5-6) Wakakosho (6-5)
Junior Divisions:
Makushita
Takinooto Asasekiryu (3-3)
Sumanofuji Wakaazuma (3-3)
Sandanme
Komahibiki Fudoyama (4-2)
Otsunua Ryuo (3-3)
Yamamoto Azumao (3-3)
Jonidan
Asamatsumoto Koryu (4-2)
Ryukiyama (3-3) Bentenmaru
Hoshizakura (3-1) Anju
Okinoryu Kitakasuga (4-2)
Jonokuchi
Daitenzan (3-3) Jin
Ako (4-2) Matsubara(Junior division wrestlers have only seven bouts during the tournament. Records of foreign wrestlers' opponents were not available.)
Thursday's main bouts:
Hamanoshima Hamanishiki (juryo)
Kaiho Jumonji
Aminishiki Takatoriki
Terao Higonoumi
Tamakasuga Tosanoumi
Minatofuji Tochisakae
Asashoryu Otsukasa
Tochinohana Kotonowaka
Akinoshima Asanowaka
Daishi Kyokushuzan
Kyokutenho Kotomitsuki
Takanonami Wakanoyama
Wakanosato Chiyotenzan
Hayateumi Tochinonada
Takanowaka Musoyama
Kaio Tamanoshima
Tokitsuumi Dejima
Takanohana Miyabiyama
Tochiazuma Musashimaru
For more sumo information online, try:
Sumo Web
Da Kine Sumo E-zine
Ozumo
Kyodo News Service