Takanohana
still perfect,
Musashimaru
stuck in 3rd

TOKYO, May 21 (Kyodo) - Yokozuna Takanohana overpowered ozeki Dejima on Monday to keep his perfect record unblemished and stay a step ahead of ozeki Chiyotaikai at the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament.

Ozeki Chiyotaikai stayed within one win of the lead and yokozuna Musashimaru is in a group of six wrestlers two back following a day of few upsets at the 15-day tourney at Tokyo's Ryokoku Kokugikan.

Takanohana (9-0) overwhelmed out-of-form Dejima (2-7) off the initial charge and easily muscled the Musashigawa stable ozeki out to remain the undisputed leader in the Emperor's Cup derby.

Chiyotaikai (8-1) rolled over Wakanosato (5-4), keeping the top-ranked maegashira at arms length with a series of forceful shoves before finally slapping him out.

The Kokonoe-stable grappler, sidelined through injury in January, has ensured he will remain at sumo's second highest rank after recording his eighth victory and ensuring himself an overall winning record for the tourney.

Yokozuna Musashimaru (7-2) got his strong right-arm grip on No. 3 maegashira Tosanoumi (2-7) and edged him out backward to remain in the hunt for the Emporer's Cup.

Ozeki Miyabiyama (7-2) made short work of Tochinohada (1-8), slapping the sekiwake down after the charge and remains alongside his Samoan-born senior in the title chase.

Newly-promoted komusubi Asashoryu (6-3) fanned Takanowaka (3-6) with another display of the speed and skills that excited the crowds in the first week.

The 20-year-old Mongolian was all the top-ranked maegashira could handle, lifting the leg of his heavier opponent before finally dumping him out of the ring.

Ozeki Kaio (4-5) finally gave up his attempt to fight through the pain and announced his withdrawal from the tournament, forfeiting his bout against No. 4 maegashira Hayateumi (7-2).

The ozeki, who would have been promoted to sumo's highest rank had he won the Emperor's Cup, injured his lower back last month and had been unable to train properly in the lead-up to the event.

Early on, Kyokushuzan (7-2) slipped out of a throw by Akinoshima (4-5), swiveled his body around and forced his opponent out.

Compatriot Kyokutenho (4-5) could not match the power of Toki (7-2), who shoved the Mongolian out of the raised ring.

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Kaio has herniated disk

TOKYO, May 21 (Kyodo) - Ozeki Kaio, who pulled out of the summer sumo tournament on Sunday because of lower back pain, suffers from a herniated disk, medical officials said in a report Monday.

The ozeki was diagnosed with a herniated disk in his lower back and suffers from numbness. It will take about one month for the injury to completely heal, doctors said.

Kaio, who captured his first championship at last year's summer tourney at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, faces the possibility of demotion from sumo's second highest rank if he does not win at least eight bouts at the Nagoya meeting in July.

He pulled out of the summer contest after suffering his fourth defeat of the 15-day tourney at the hands of fellow ozeki Chiyotaikai and aggravating the injury which had bothered him prior to the tournament.

Kaio's scheduled opponent for Monday, No. 4 maegashira Hayateumi, won by injury default, leaving the ozeki with a dismal 4-5 record.

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Results

TOKYO, May 21 (Kyodo) - Results of makuuchi division bouts Monday, the ninth day of the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo (+ denotes juryo division wrestler):

Won -- Technique -- Lost

Takatoriki 3-6 -- oshitaoshi -- +Hamanoshima 4-5

+Wakakosho 3-6 -- tsukidashi -- Hamanishiki 1-8

Aminishiki 5-4 -- ucchari -- Tochinohana 5-4

Kyokushuzan 7-2 -- hikkake -- Akinoshima 4-5

Asanowaka 3-6 -- tsukiotoshi -- Terao 2-7

Otsukasa 5-4 -- oshidashi -- Daizen 4-5

Toki 7-2 -- oshidashi -- Kyokutenho 4-5

Wakatsutomu 6-3 -- oshidashi -- Jumonji 4-5

Kotonowaka 6-3 -- shitatenage -- Takanonami 5-4

Higonoumi 7-2 -- tsukiotoshi -- Tochisakae 5-4

Tokitsuumi 3-6 -- yorikiri -- Tamanoshima 1-8

Kaiho 4-5 -- uwatenage -- Chiyotenzan 2-7

Asashoryu 6-3 -- kirikaeshi -- Takanowaka 3-6

Tochiazuma 6-3 -- yorikiri -- Kotomitsuki 5-4

Musoyama 5-4 -- tsukiotoshi -- Tamakasuga 3-6

Hayateumi 7-2 -- default -- Kaio 4-5

Chiyotaikai 8-1 -- tsukidashi -- Wakanosato 5-4

Miyabiyama 7-2 -- hatakikomi -- Tochinonada 1-8

Musashimaru 7-2 -- yorikiri -- Tosanoumi 2-7

Takanohana 9-0 -- yorikiri -- Dejima 2-7

Juryo Division

Nishikikaze (makushita)(4-1) Wakaazuma (1-8)
Ooikari (6-3) Sentoryu (2-7)
Kitazakura (7-2) Kuniazuma (6-3)

Tuesday's bouts

+Wakakosho x - x Takatoriki
Daizen 0 - 0 Hamanishiki
Asanowaka 1 - 2 Aminishiki
Higonoumi 8 - 10 Akinoshima
Otsukasa 1 - 0 Kyokushuzan
Toki 2 - 7 Kotonowaka
Jumonji 0 - 2 Tochinohana
Wakatsutomu 0 - 0 Kyokutenho
Dejima 0 - 1 Terao
Kaiho 0 - 2 Tosanoumi
Tokitsuumi 4 - 4 Chiyotenzan
Kotomitsuki 1 - 1 Takanowaka
Tochinonada 0 - 0 Asashoryu
Wakanosato 1 - 3 Tochiazuma
Dejima 10 - 4 Tamakasuga
Takanonami 20 - 17 Musoyama
Chiyotaikai 4 - 4 Miyabiyama
Takanohana 2 - 0 Hayateumi
Tochisakae 0 - 1 Musashimaru

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