Musashimaru ranked
No. 1 in West

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Associated Press

TOKYO >> Yokozuna Musashimaru (Hawaii's Fiumalu Penitani) retained his No. 2 ranking for next month's Summer Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan, according to the rankings released yesterday by the Japan Sumo Association.

Musashimaru, 12-3, in the last tournament, retained the No. 1 position in the West. Takanohana was ranked first in the East and overall.

Mongolia's Asashoryu, less than 12 months after winning the junior division makushita title, was promoted to sumo's fourth highest rank of komusubi for the upcoming Summer Grand Sumo Tournament in Tokyo.

Also, spring tournament champion Kaio aims for promotion as the top-ranked ozeki.

And, for the first time since 1988, two ozekis -- Miyabiyama and Chiyotaikai -- face demotion from sumo's second-highest rank.

Both need at least eight wins in the 15-day tourney to stave off relegation to sekiwake.

In last month's tournament, Asashoryu tied the record for the fastest rise to sumo's sanyaku ranks since the six-tourney system was instituted in 1958.

Asashoryu reached the sanyaku ranks -- ozeki, sekiwake and komusubi -- in only 15 tournaments.

He tied the mark of former ozeki Konishiki (Hawaii's Salevaa Atisanoe).

Asashoryu also became the sixth foreign-born wrestler to reach sanyaku.

The others foreign-born sumotori to reach sanyaku are sekiwake Takamiyama, Konishiki, recently retired grand champion Akebono (Hawaii's Chad Rowan), Musashimaru and fellow Mongolian Kyokushuzan.

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