Sumo
OSAKA, March 22 (Kyodo) - Ozeki Kaio cruised to his 12th straight win over title pretender Tamanoshima on Thursday to hold onto the lead at the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament and edge one step closer to his second Emperor's Cup. Musashimaru drops
back, Kaio at 12-0Yokozuna Takanohana, meanwhile, kept the pressure on Kaio, one step back at 11-1, with a hard-fought win over ozeki Miyabiyama to set up a suspenseful final three days at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium.
Kaio never looked in any trouble in his bout with Tamanoshima (9-3) and after swinging his opponent around the ring, effectively ended the 10th-ranked maegashira's title hopes by plowing him over the straw bales for the win.
New Year tourney champion Takanohana showed the kind of form that has won him 21 Emperors Cups by soaking up a series of thrusts before entertaining Miyabiyama (6-6) with a mid-ring tango and then bulldozing the ozeki out of the ring.
Grand champion Musashimaru (9-3), however, saw his title hopes all but evaporate as new komusubi Tochiazuma (7-5) provided an upset in the day's final bout, dragging the Samoan-born powerhouse to the ring's surface.
Ozeki Musoyama got a fright after being pulled off balance by Takanowaka (6-6) but quickly recovered to blast the fourth-ranked maegashira out of the ring and keep alive his slim championship hopes at 10-2.
Musashigawa stablemate Dejima continued his ride on the won-lost roller-coaster as the ozeki fluffed his lines again by allowing No. 4 maegashira Tokitsuumi to shove him out to a second straight loss, leaving both men with a 6-6 record.
In earlier bouts, Mongolian No. 6 maegashira Asashoryu continued to impress in only his second tourney in sumo's elite makuuchi division and guaranteed himself promotion in May by bumping 12th-ranked Otsukasa (7-5) for an 8-4 record.
Things went from bad to worse, however, for struggling senior compatriots Kyokutenho and Kyokushuzan who are already headed south for the summer tourney.
Top-ranked maegashira Kyokutenho tumbled to 3-9 after being forced out by third-ranked Kotomitsuki (7-5) while fifth-ranked Kyokushuzan put up little resistance against 14th-ranked Daishi (4-8), who handed the former komusubi his 11th defeat of the tourney.
OSAKA, Japan (AP) - Kaio kept the sole lead at 12-0, but Hawaiian-born Musashimaru suffered his third defeat Thursday with three days left in the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament. Kaio keeps sole lead
at 12-0, Musashimaru
suffers third defeatOzeki (champion) Kaio is chased by yokozuna (grand champion) Takanohana at 11-1 and ozeki Musoyama at 10-2.
They are followed by yokozuna Musashimaru, or Fiamalu Penitani, and No. 10 maegashira (senior wrestler) Tamanoshima at 9-3.
Wrestling before a capacity crowd of 8,000 at the Osaka Prefectural (state) gymnasium in western Japan, Kaio, seeking his second tournament victory in his career, pulled one of No. 10 maegashira Tamanoshima's arms and sent him out.
Takanohana charged ozeki Miyabiyama with hand thrusts, grabbed his foe's belt and forced him out, leaving Miyabiyama at 6-6.
In the day's final bout, komusubi (junior champion second class) Tochiazuma crushed against Musashimaru with his head and pulled him down for his seventh victory against five defeats.
In other major bouts, ozeki Musoyama held on No. 4 maegashira Takanowaka's driving attempt at the ring edge by turning around the ring and sent him out, leaving Takanowaka at 6-6.
No. 4 maegashira Tokitsuumi forced out ozeki Dejima, leaving both wrestlers at 6-6.
No. 3 maegashira Kotomitsuki forced out No. 1 maegashira Kyokutenho, or Mongolian Tsevegnyam Nyamjav, for his seventh victory against five defeats. Kyokutenho is 3-9.
No. 14 maegashira Daishi charged No. 5 maegashira Kyokushuzan, or Mongolian Batbayar Davaa, with hand thrusts against his foe's throat and sent him out. Daishi is 4-8 and Kyokushuzan 1-11.
No. 6 maegashira Asashoryu, or Mongolian Dolgorsvren Dagvadrj, dodged No. 12 maegashira Otsukasa's driving attempt skillfully and sent him out from behind for his eighth victory against four defeats. Otsukasa is 7-5.
In the 26-member juryo division, just below the senior makuuchi division, No. 13-ranked Takanotsuru threw down No. 9-ranked Sentoryu, or American Henry Armstrong Miller, for his sixth victory against six defeats. Sentoryu is 8-4.
No. 12-ranked Senshuyama twisted down No. 7-ranked Kuniazuma, or Brazilian Vander Ramos, for his sixth victory against six defeats. Kuniazuma is 5-7.
In makushita, the top junior division just below the senior makuuchi division, No. 13-ranked Hoshitango (5-1), or Argentine Imach Marcelo Salomon, slapped down No. 10-ranked Buyuzan.
No. 13-ranked Kasugaoh (0-6), or Kim Son-tek from South Korea, was driven out by No. 17-ranked Kakuo.
No. 26-ranked Kyokutenzan (4-2), or Mongolian Enkhbat Batmunkha, threw down No. 27-ranked Fukuseyama.
In sandanme, the second highest junior division, No. 68-ranked Hakuba (3-3), or Mongolian Ariunbayar Unurjargal, crushed down No. 70-ranked Hananosato.
In jonidan, the third highest junior division, No. 43-ranked Daibanjaku (4-2), or Mongolian Batsukh Khaidavmunkh, was pulled down by No. 48-ranked Wakashoryu.
No. 72-ranked Daionji (2-4), or Mongolian Ulziibayar Ulziijargal, was thrown down by No. 67-ranked Minezakura.
No. 89-ranked Orora (3-3), or Russian Mikhakhanov Anatolivaleryevich, was forced out by No. 88-ranked Tamashoryu.
No. 107-ranked Hoshihikari (4-2), or Mongolian Duvchin Lkhagvaa, sent out No 105-ranked Terunobori.
In jonokuchi, the lowest junior division, No. 29-ranked Ama (6-0), or Mongolian Davaanyam Byambadorj Yam, drove out No. 14-ranked Takanobori.
No. 31-ranked Daionami (4-2), or Mongolian Batbaa Taruugandayav, sent out No. 17-ranked Kaitanaka, from behind.
No. 30-ranked Bontensho (3-3), or Mongolian Haidav Bayarhvv, shoved out No. 25-ranked Kinokawa.
Wrestlers in junior divisions have only seven bouts during the 15-day tournament.
OSAKA, Japan (AP) - Results of main bouts Thursday, the 12th day of the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium: Results of main sumo bouts
Winners Losers
Hamanishiki (juryo) (6-6) Hamanoshima (5-7)
Jumonji (8-4) Kaiho (6-6)
Takatoriki (4-8) Aminishiki (5-7)
Terao (7-5) Higonoumi (6-6)
Tamakasuga (7-5) Tosanoumi (7-5)
Tochisakae (7-5) Minatofuji (4-8)
Asashoryu (8-4) Otsukasa (7-5)
Kotonowaka (5-7) Tochinohana (6-6)
Akinoshima (4-8) Asanowaka (4-8)
Daishi (4-8) Kyokushuzan (1-11)
Kotomitsuki (7-5) Kyokutenho (3-9)
Wakanoyama (3-9) Takanonami (4-8)
Wakanosato (6-6) Chiyotenzan (4-8)
Tochinonada (6-6) Hayateumi (5-7)
Musoyama (10-2) Takanowaka (6-6)
Kaio (12-0) Tamanoshima (9-3)
Tokitsuumi (6-6) Dejima (6-6)
Takanohana (11-1) Miyabiyama (6-6)
Tochiazuma (7-5) Musashimaru (9-3)
Juryo Division
Takanotsuru (6-6) Sentoryu (8-4)
Senshuyama (6-6) Kuniazuma (5-7)
Junior Divisions:
Makushita
Kyokutenzan (4-2) Fukuseyama
Kakuo Kasugaoh (0-6)
Hoshitango (5-1) Buyuzan
Sandanme
Hakuba (3-3) Hananosato
Jonidan
Hoshihikari (4-2) Terunobori
Tamashoryu Orora (3-3)
Minezakura Daionji (2-4)
Wakashoryu Daibanjaku (4-2)
Jonokuchi
Bontensho (3-3) Kinokawa
Daionami (4-2) Kaitanaka
Ama (6-0) Takanobori(Junior division wrestlers have only seven bouts during the tournament. Records of foreign wrestlers' opponents were not available.)
Friday's main bouts:
Aogiyama (juryo) Daishi
Hamanoshima Terao
Kaiho Tochinohana
Tosanoumi Jumonji
Otsukasa Tochisakae
Tamakasuga Aminishiki
Asashoryu Tamanoshima
Minatofuji Kyokushuzan
Takanonami Asanowaka
Higonoumi Hayateumi
Chiyotenzan Akinoshima
Kyokutenho Takatoriki
Kotonowaka Wakanoyama
Tochiazuma Kotomitsuki
Tokitsuumi Tochinonada
Wakanosato Dejima
Miyabiyama Takanowaka
Kaio Musashimaru
Takanohana Musoyama
For more sumo information online, try:
Sumo Web
Da Kine Sumo E-zine
Ozumo
Kyodo News Service