Musashimaru stops Kaio

OSAKA, March 23 (Kyodo) - Ozeki Kaio ran into a roadblock Friday and suffered his first loss of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament, but still remained on course for a second Emperor's Cup after yokozuna Takanohana bit the dust in the day's final bout.

Coming after 12 straight wins, Kaio's first defeat had "Made in Samoa" written all over it as yokozuna Musashimaru powered in at the charge and quickly bulldozed out the Tomozuna stable wrestler to move to 10-3 and keep his own mathematical hopes for the title alive.

Takanohana blew his opportunity to draw level with Kaio as he surrendered the initiative to ozeki Musoyama, who pulled out a slick left-arm throw to leave both wrestlers on 11-2 with two days left at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium.

Despite the loss, Takanohana, who won his 21st Emperor's Cup in the New Year tourney, will get another chance to move into a tie for the lead when he meets Kaio on Saturday. Takanohana holds a 25-12 record head-to-head with the ozeki.

Ozeki Dejima, who needs eight wins to avoid demotion after a losing record in January, edged to within one of his "magic number" by propelling sekiwake Wakanosato (6-7) onto the front row cushions in a scrappy bout.

However, Miyabiyama, continued to look out of his depth at ozeki as he fell for a sidestep maneuver from No. 4 maegashira Takanowaka (7-6) and finished face down in the dirt to add insult to a 6-7 record.

Elsewhere, sekiwake Tochinonada overpowered fourth-ranked maegashira Tokitsuumi (6-7) to boost his record to 7-6, while No. 3 maegashira Kotomitsuki muscled out komusubi Tochiazuma (7-6) to post his eighth win and secure a promotion next time out.

No. 10 maegashira Tamanoshima, winner of the second-tier juryo title in the New Year meet, mugged sixth-ranked Asashoryu (8-5) to improve to 10-3, while ninth-ranked maegashira Takatoriki (5-8) barreled out No. 1 maegashira Kyokutenho (3-10) to further dent Mongolian pride.

Meanwhile, fifth-ranked maegashira Kyokushuzan, the most experienced of the Mongolian trio, withdrew from the tourney with a 1-12 record after losing his battle to overcome an injury to his right calf.

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Kyokushuzan withdraws with troubled calf

OSAKA, March 23 (Kyodo) - Former komusubi Kyokushuzan of Mongolia pulled out of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament on Friday with an injury to the muscle in his right calf that has gotten worse in recent days and left the No. 5 maegashira with a 1-11 record.

It will be the first time that Kyokushuzan, whose injury reportedly will require two months to heal, is pulling out of a tournament since making his ring debut in March 1992.

Kyokushuzan's opponent for Friday, 14th-ranked Minatofuji, will win by injury default, leaving the Mongolian trickster with a 1-12 mark for the tournament.

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Results of day 13

OSAKA, March 23 (Kyodo) - Results of makuuchi division bouts Friday, the 13th day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium (+ denotes juryo division wrestler):

Won Technique Lost

+Aogiyama 6-4-3 oshidashi Daishi 4-9
Terao 8-5 oshidashi Hamanoshima 5-8
Kaiho 7-6 sukuinage Tochinohana 6-7
Tosanoumi 8-5 oshidashi Jumonji 8-5
Tochisakae 8-5 hatakikomi Otsukasa 7-6
Aminishiki 6-7 oshidashi Tamakasuga 7-6
Tamanoshima 10-3 oshitaoshi Asashoryu 8-5
Minatofuji 5-8 default Kyokushuzan 1-12
Asanowaka 5-8 hikiotoshi Takanonami 4-9
Hayateumi 6-7 oshidashi Higonoumi 6-7
Chiyotenzan 5-8 yorikiri Akinoshima 4-9
Takatoriki 5-8 oshidashi Kyokutenho 3-10
Wakanoyama 4-9 oshidashi Kotonowaka 5-8
Kotomitsuki 8-5 yorikiri Tochiazuma 7-6
Tochinonada 7-6 yorikiri Tokitsuumi 6-7
Dejima 7-6 oshidashi Wakanosato 6-7
Takanowaka 7-6 hatakikomi Miyabiyama 6-7
Musashimaru 10-3 yorikiri Kaio 12-1
Musoyama 11-2 makiotoshi Takanohana 11-2

(Note: results are listed as won, lost and rest days)

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Saturday's bouts

Minatofuji x - x +Aogiyama
Daizen x - x Daishi
Hamanoshima 1 - 1 Aminishiki
Kaiho 6 - 5 Asanowaka
Tosanoumi 1 - 0 Tochinohana
Otsukasa 2 - 1 Higonoumi
Jumonji 0 - 0 Tochisakae
Terao 9 - 11 Kotonowaka
Tokitsuumi 3 - 4 Tamakasuga
Chiyotenzan 6 - 1 Takatoriki
Kotomitsuki 0 - 0 Hayateumi
Kyokutenho 0 - 2 Takanonami
Tochiazuma 0 - 0 Tamanoshima
Akinoshima 7 - 1 Wakanoyama
Takanowaka 0 - 3 Dejima
Miyabiyama 0 - 0 Asashoryu
Wakanosato 2 - 3 Musoyama
Takanohana 25 - 12 Kaio
Tochinonada 1 - 10 Musashimaru

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Kaio loses to
Musashimaru but keeps
sole lead at 12-1

OSAKA, Japan (AP) - Ozeki (champion) Kaio lost to Hawaii yokozuna (grand champion) Musashimaru but kept his sole lead at 12-1 Friday with two days left in the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament.

Musashimaru, or Fiamalu Penitani, took just a couple of seconds to deal Kaio (12-1) his first loss in the tournament, putting Kaio at a risk of losing his sole lead. Musashimaru grabbed Kaio's belt and quickly sent him out of the ring.

Kaio's sole lead was assured when yokozuna Takanohana, who was trailing by one loss, fell flat on the ground in a bout with ozeki Musoyama.

Going into Sunday's final, Musoyama and Takanohana were behind Kaio with 12-2. Musashimaru is closely after with 10-3.

No.4 maegashira (senior wrestler) Takanowaka (7-6) sidestepped ozeki Miyabiyama, who fell down and worsened his record to 6-7.

Ozeki Dejima (7-6) took sekiwake (junior champion) Wakanosato (6-7) by surprise at the start, slapped his back and sent him out of the ring.

Komusubi Tochiazuma (junior champion second class) was overpowered by No. 3 maegashira (8-5). Tochiazuma is now at 7-6.

No. 9 maegashira Takatoriki (5-8) easily pushed out No. 1 maegashira Kyokutenho, or Mongolian Tsevegnyam Nyamjav, who now is at 3-10.

Another Mongolian, No. 6 maegashira Asashoryu, or Dolgorsvren Dagvadrj, lost to No. 10 maegashira Tamanoshima's ruthless hand thrusts. Asashoryu is 8-5 and Tamanoshima is 10-3.

No. 5 maegashira Kyokushuzan, or Mongolian Batbayar Davaa, pulled out of the tournament Friday with a leg injury. He left a dismal score of 1-12.

In the 26-member juryo division, just below the senior makuuchi division, No. 9-ranked Sentoryu, or American Henry Armstrong Miller, extended his win to 9-4 when he forced out No. 4-ranked Kitazakura 8-5.

No. 5-ranked Yotsukasa pushed out No. 7-ranked Kuniazuma, or Brazilian Vander Ramos. Kuniazuma is 5-8.

In makushita, the top junior division just below the senior makuuchi division, No. 4-ranked Wakaazuma (3-3), or Yoshinobu Kuroda from Brazil, evened his score by muscling out No. 12-ranked Senshuyama.

No. 13-ranked Kasugaoh (1-6), or Kim Son-tek from South Korea, posted his first win after losing six straight bouts. Kasugaoh threw down No. 60-ranked Tenju.

In sandanme, the second highest junior division, No. 68-ranked Hakuba (4-3), or Mongolian Ariunbayar Unurjargal, took No. 65-ranked Terukaze by the neck and brought him out of the ring.

In jonidan, the third highest junior division, No. 10-ranked Takaoh (1-4), or Wang Yu from China, lost out to No. 1-ranked Tochihidaka. No. 43-ranked Daibanjaku (4-3), or Mongolian Batsukh Khaidavmunkh, was defeated by No. 35-ranked Toyohikari.

No. 114-ranked Dainin won over No. 106-ranked Hoshizakura, or Mongolian Myagmar Altangerel, who posted his second loss to stand at 5-2.

No. 122-ranked Koryu, or Mongolian Erdenessukh Monkhorgil, improved his score to 5-2 by pulling down lower ranked Usui from jonokuchi, the lowest junior division. Usui is ranked at No. 6.

No. 32-ranked Ako from jonokuchi, or Mongolian Gandold Batundral, pushed out No. 8-ranked Yuki to improve his score to 5-2.

Wrestlers in junior divisions have only seven bouts during the 15-day tournament.

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Results of main sumo bouts

OSAKA, Japan (AP) - Results of main bouts Friday, the 13th day of the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium:

Winners Losers

Aogiyama (6-4-3) Daishi (4-9)
Terao (8-5) Hamanoshima (5-8)
Kaiho (7-6) Tochinohana (6-7)
Tosanoumi (8-5) Jumonji (8-5)
Tochisakae (8-5) Otsukasa (7-6)
Aminishiki (6-7) Tamakasuga (7-6)
Tamanoshima (10-3) Asashoryu (8-5)
Minatofuji (5-8) Kyokushuzan* (1-12)
Asanowaka (5-8) Takanonami (4-9)
Hayateumi (6-7) Higonoumi (6-7)
Chiyotenzan (5-8) Akinoshima (4-9)
Takatoriki (5-8) Kyokutenho (3-10)
Wakanoyama (4-9) Kotonowaka (5-8)
Kotomitsuki (8-5) Tochiazuma (7-6)
Tochinonada (7-6) Tokitsuumi (6-7)
Dejima (7-6) Wakanosato (6-7)
Takanowaka (7-6) Miyabiyama (6-7)
Musashimaru (10-3) Kaio (12-1)
Musoyama (11-2) Takanohana (11-2)

* pulled out of tournament Friday with injury.

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Juryo Division

Yotsukasa (5-8) Kuniazuma (5-8)
Sentoryu (9-4) Kitazakura (8-5)

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Junior Divisions:

Makushita

Wakaazuma (3-3) Senshuyama
Kasugaoh (1-6) Tenju

Sandanme

Hakuba (4-3) Terukaze

Jonidan

Tochihidaka Takaoh (1-4)
Toyohikari Daibankjaku (4-3)
Dainin Hoshizakura (5-2)
Koryu (5-2) Usui

Jonokuchi

Ako (5-2) Yuki

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

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Saturday's main bouts:

Minatofuji Aogiyama (juryo)
Daizen Daishi
Hamanoshima Aminishiki
Kaiho Asanowaka
Tosanoumi Tochinohana
Otsukasa Higonoumi
Jumonji Tochisakae
Terao Kotonowaka
Tokitsuumi Tamakasuga
Chiyotenzan Takatoriki
Kotomitsuki Hayateumi
Kyokutenho Takanonami
Tochiazuma Tamanoshima
Akinoshima Wakanoyama
Takanowaka Dejima
Miyabiyama Asashoryu
Wakanosato Musoyama
Takanohana Kaio
Tochinonada Musashimaru

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