Kaio can’t withstand
yokozuna Takanohana

OSAKA, March 24 (Kyodo) - Yokozuna Takanohana dragged tournament leader Kaio down to a second loss Saturday to ensure that the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament championship derby will come down to the final two bouts of the 15-day affair Sunday.

Ozeki Musoyama, meanwhile, kept alive his own chances for the championship hardware by muscling sekiwake Wakanosato around the ring at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium and then out for his 12th win of the tournament.

On Sunday, Kaio and Musoyama square off in an all-ozeki encounter with the chance to either win the Emperor's Cup outright or face Takanohana in a playoff for the crown.

Takanohana meets rival yokozuna Musashimaru in the tournament's final scheduled bout in which a win by the New Year tourney champion will ensure a playoff.

In the day's featured bout, Kaio slipped to the left at the face-off and kept Taknohana off his belt as he drove the yokozuna to the edge of the ring and appeared on the verge of posting win No. 13.

Takanohana, however, fought back desperately to the center where they both unleashed belt throws. After a moment of being suspended motionless at the top of their throws, Kaio crumbled to his knees for his second straight loss of the tourney.

In the previous bout, Musoyama charged of his crouch to drive Wakanosato (6-8) to the bales and after the sekiwake slipped away, turned around and did it again for the win.

Musashimaru, who saw his mathematical chances for the title evaporate with his stablemate's win over Kaio, made short work of Tochinonada (7-7) by marching the sekiwake straight out of the ring for his 11th win.

The other ozeki members of the Musashigawa stable, however, had another tough day at the office.

No. 4 maegashira Takanowaka (8-6) sent Dejima flying through the air for an upset win while Mongolia's Asashoryu (9-5) met little resistance from Miyabiyama as he slapped and shoved the ozeki out of the ring.

Dejima (7-7), who was 7-8 in January, will need a win Sunday against Asashoryu to hold onto his ozeki status and Miyabiyama (6-8), who faces Wakanosato on the final day, will need at least eight wins in May to keep sumo's second highest rank.

In an earlier bout, former ozeki Takanonami (5-9) backed Kyokutenho out of the ring to hand the listless top maegashira from Mongolia his 11th loss.

Results from day 14

OSAKA, March 24 (Kyodo) - Results of makuuchi division bouts Saturday, the 14th day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium (+ denotes juryo division wrestler):

Won Technique Lost

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

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

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Sunday's bouts

Minatofuji 1 - 0 Tochinohana
Tamanoshima 1 - 0 Jumonji
Kaiho 3 - 2 Otsukasa
Tosanoumi 5 - 2 Terao
Tamakasuga 15 - 7 Takatoriki
Akinoshima 2 - 2 Daishi
Tokitsuumi 2 - 1 Aminishiki
Tochisakae 0 - 1 Kotomitsuki
Takanonami 8 - 2 Hamanoshima
Chiyotenzan 3 - 3 Kotonowaka
Kyokutenho 4 - 3 Asanowaka
Higonoumi 2 - 2 Wakanoyama
Tochiazuma 0 - 1 Hayateumi
Takanowaka 1 - 4 Tochinonada
Asashoryu 0 - 0 Dejima
Miyabiyama 3 - 1 Wakanosato
Kaio 20 - 14 Musoyama
Takanohana 29 - 16 Musashimaru

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Kaio loses but stays tied
for the lead with Takanohana
and Musoyama

OSAKA, Japan (AP) - Yokozuna (grand champion) Takanohana handed Ozeki (champion) Kaio his second straight loss on Saturday, leaving three wrestlers tied for the lead ahead of the final day of the 15-day Spring Sumo Tournament.

Kaio shoved Takanohana to the edge of the ring before the yokozuna regained his footing and sent the ozeki to his hands and knees. The two are tied at 12-2.

Musoyama kept his own trophy hopes by outmuscling sekiwake (junior champion) Wakanosato, boosting his record to 12-2 and putting him in a tie with Kaio and Takanohana going into Sunday's final.

Hawaiian-born Yokozuna Musashimaru, or Fiamalu Penitani, beat Tochinonada (7-7) but trails the three leaders at 11-3.

No. 4 maegashira (senior wrestler) Takanowaka (8-6) hoisted ozeki Dejima by the belt and deposited him outside the ring. Dejima's record worsened to 7-7.

Komusubi Tochiazuma (junior champion second class) overpowered No. 10 maegashira Tamanoshima (10-4), whose loss put him out of championship contention. Tochiazuma is now at 8-6.

Mongolian, No. 6 maegashira Asashoryu (9-5), or Dolgorsvren Dagvadrj, defeated ozeki Miyabiyama, who slipped in the rankings with a 6-8 record.

Wakanoyama (5-9) turned Akinoshima (4-10) before nudging him off the platform.

No. 1 maegashira Kyokutenho, or Mongolian Tsevegnyam Nyamjav, suffered another loss, this time at the hands of Takanonami (5-9).

No. 9 maegashira Takatoriki (5-9) went down to Chiyotenzan (6-8).

Daizen, a member of the juryo division, beat No. 14 maegashira Daishi. Daizen was at 9-5, while Daishi slipped to 4-10.

In makushita, the top junior division just below the senior makuuchi division, Fuseyama slapped down No. 47-ranked Asasekiryu (3-4), or Mongolion Badaarch Dashunyam.

In sandanme, the second highest junior division, No. 67-ranked Azumao (3-4), or Brazilian Yasuto Morita got thrown down by Toshoka.

No. 94-ranked Ryuo, or Mongolian Erkem Ochirsanchirbold, added to his wins (4-3) by forcing out No. 80-ranked Shinkairiki.

No. 100-ranked Fudoyama, or Mongolian Nyamjuv Luvsandorj, took his third loss to No. 3-ranked Kitafuji.

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 Saturday, the 14th day of the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium:

Winners Losers

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

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Junior Divisions:

Makushita

Fukuseyama Asasekiryu (3-4)

Sandanme

Toshoka Azumao (3-4)
Ryuo (4-3) Shinkairiki
Kitafuji Fudoyama (4-3)

Jonidan

Daionji (3-4) Ichinotani
Kitakasuga (5-2) Wakawashu

Jonokuchi

Asahi Takamisato (3-4)
Daitenzan (4-3) Yuminosato
Ako (5-2) Miikezan

(Junior division wrestlers have only seven bouts during the tournament.)

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Sunday's main bouts:

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

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