Musashimau, Kaio
remain undefeated

NAGOYA, July 14 (Kyodo) - Yokozuna Musashimaru and ozeki Kaio posted convincing wins to maintain spotless records Saturday and two ozeki also won comfortably to stay one step behind the pair at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament.

Musashimaru picked up his seventh straight win in the 15-day tournament as the grand champion overpowered No. 3 maegashira Tochinonada (3-4) with a powerful throw at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium.

Tochinonada appeared to have the big Samoan on the ropes by jerking him sideways in the opening seconds, but the yokozuna turned the tables near the edge and used the maegashira's head like a lever to send him sprawling out.

Kaio (7-0), whose excellent form in the tourney looks sure to give Musashimaru a stiff title challenge, wasted no time in disposing of sekiwake Tochiazuma (4-3), barreling his chest into his opponent off the charge and muscling him out of the straw ridge.

Chiyotaikai lunged off the charge and shoved his way to a lopsided force-out victory against No. 3 maegashira Toki to stay in a five-way tie at 6-1 with fellow ozeki Musoyama, komusubi Wakanosato and rank-and-filers Tamanoshima and Takanowaka.

Musoyama met little resistance from Higonoumi (3-4), who backpedaled out of the ring in the face of the ozeki's devastating shoves and thrusts.

In the day's upset, top-ranked maegashira Takanonami (1-6) handed ozeki Miyabiyama (2-5) another loss as the Musashigawa stable wrestler continued his lackluster performance.

In other bouts, the fiery komusubi Asashoryu (3-4) waged a street-brawl with sekiwake Kotomitsuki (2-5) to notch the win after being humbled in four of his last six bouts at the tourney.

The Monglian trickster thrashed the sekiwake with shots to the head and then tried a bear-hug maneuver before toppling the heavier wrestler with his own weight in the middle of the ring.

Off the dohyo, ozeki Dejima, who withdrew from the tournament Friday because of an inflamed right thigh, has yet to decide whether he will rejoin the 15-day meet as demotion from sumo's second highest stares him in the face.

Results

NAGOYA, July 14 (Kyodo) - Results of makuuchi division bouts Saturday, the seventh day of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium (+ denotes juryo division wrestler):

Won Technique Lost

+Juzan 3-4 oshidashi Minatofuji 3-4
Wakatsutomu 4-3 tsukiotoshi Oginishiki 5-2
Kyokutenho 3-4 hatakikomi Asanowaka 1-6
Kotoryu 4-3 yorikiri Daizen 3-4
Aminishiki 3-4 shitatehineri Kitazakura 2-5
Kaiho 5-2 uwatenage Chiyotenzan 2-5
Tamanoshima 6-1 yorikiri Tokitsuumi 5-2
Akinoshima 2-5 uwatenage Jumonji 1-6
Takanowaka 6-1 uwatenage Tamakasuga 3-4
Kyokushuzan 4-3 hikiotoshi Tochisakae 4-3
Otsukasa 3-4 yoritaoshi Tochinohana 3-4
Kotonowaka 1-6 yoritaoshi Hayateumi 1-6
Wakanosato 6-1 sukuinage Tosanoumi 3-4
Asashoryu 3-4 kirikaeshi Kotomitsuki 2-5
Chiyotaikai 6-1 tsukidashi Toki 2-5
Kaio 7-0 yorikiri Tochiazuma 4-3
Takanonami 1-6 uwatedashinage Miyabiyama 2-5
Musoyama 6-1 oshidashi Higonoumi 3-4
Musashimaru 7-0 uwatenage Tochinonada 3-4

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Sunday's bouts

Asanowaka x - x +Daishi
Kotoryu 1 - 0 Aminishiki
Wakatsutomu 0 - 0 Kaiho
Jumonji 1 - 0 Daizen
Tochinohana 0 - 2 Minatofuji
Kyokutenho 4 - 6 Chiyotenzan
Tamakasuga 6 - 3 Tokitsuumi
Oginishiki 1 - 0 Tamanoshima
Akinoshima 0 - 0 Kitazakura
Tochisakae 1 - 1 Takanowaka
Kyokushuzan 4 - 0 Toki
Kotonowaka 17 - 28 Takanonami
Higonoumi 2 - 4 Wakanosato
Hayateumi 0 - 1 Kotomitsuki
Asashoryu 1 - 0 Musoyama
Chiyotaikai 6 - 8 Tochiazuma
Kaio 10 - 4 Tochinonada
Miyabiyama 0 - 0 Otsukasa
Tosanoumi 5 - 21 Musashimaru

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Musashimaru, Kaio remain
in lead at perfect 7-0

NAGOYA, Japan (AP) - Hawaii yokozuna (grand champion) Musashimaru threw down lower-ranked Tochinonada, keeping a two-way 7-0 lead with ozeki (champion) Kaio on Saturday, the seventh day of the 15-day Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament.

Five wrestlers came just one victory behind at 6-1: Ozekis Musoyama and Chiyotaikai, komusubi (junior champion second class) Wakanosato and two lower-ranked wrestlers - No. 5 maegashira (senior wrestler) Takanowaka and No. 7 maegashira Tamanoshima.

Musashimaru, who briefly lost his balance in the beginning, pushed No. 3 maegashira Tochinonada (3-4) to the ringside, where he threw down his opponent with a dramatic overarm throw. Tochinonada helplessly kicked the air before he fell on his shoulder.

Kaio bulldozed out sekiwake (junior champion) Tochiazuma, gripping him from both sides as soon as they rose from the initial squatting position. Tochiazuma slipped to 4-3.

Musoyama charged No. 2 maegashira Higonoumi (3-4) with powerful thrusts at the neck to shove him out.

Chiyotaikai gave No. 3 maegashira Toki (2-5) a series of hand thrusts at the neck to drive him out.

Wakanosato pushed No. 4 maegashira Tosanoumi to the ringside and threw him upside down. Tosanoumi suffered his fourth defeat against three victories.

Takanowaka survived Tamakasuga's persistent push at ringside before turning around to throw him down. Tamakasuga fell on his knees.

Tamanoshima grabbed No. 13 maegashira Tokitsuumi's belt and bulldozed him out.

In other major bouts, Mongolian komusubi Asashoryu (3-4) tripped sekiwake Kotomitsuki (2-5) after being chased to the edge of the ring.

Mongolian No. 5 maegashira Kyokushuzan pulled down maegashira No.6 Tochisakae as he held his opponent's belt and leaped backward, leaving both at 4-3. Tochisakae fell on his stomach.

Mongolian No. 11 maegashira Kyokutenho (3-4) grabbed No. 13 maegashira Asanowaka (1-6) at the back of the neck and pushed him down to the ground.

In the 26-member juryo division, just below the senior makuuchi division, No. 5-ranked Kuniazuma, a Brazilian, was shoved out by top-ranked Kobo (5-2) and suffered his first defeat against six victories.

American Sentoryu (5-2), who is No. 6-ranked in the division, slammed down No. 12-ranked Tomonohana (3-4) while sidestepping to push down his opponent's shoulders.

Results of main sumo bouts

NAGOYA, Japan (AP) - Results of main bouts Saturday, the seventh day of the 15-day Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium:

Winners Losers
Juzan (juryo)(3-4) Minatofuji (3-4)
Wakatsutomu (4-3) Oginishiki (5-2)
Kyokutenho (3-4) Asanowaka (1-6)
Kotoryu (4-3) Daizen (3-4)
Aminishiki (3-4) Kitazakura (2-5)
Kaiho (5-2) Chiyotenzan (2-5)
Tamanoshima (6-1) Tokitsuumi (5-2)
Akinoshima (2-5) Jumonji (1-6)
Takanowaka (6-1) Tamakasuga (3-4)
Kyokushuzan (4-3) Tochisakae (4-3)
Otsukasa (3-4) Tochinohana (3-4)
Kotonowaka (1-6) Hayateumi (1-6)
Wakanosato (6-1) Tosanoumi (3-4)
Asashoryu (3-4) Kotomitsuki (2-5)
Chiyotaikai (6-1) Toki (2-5)
Kaio (7-0) Tochiazuma (4-3)
Takanonami (1-6) Miyabiyama (2-5)
Musoyama (6-1) Higonoumi (3-4)
Musashimaru (7-0) Tochinonada (3-4)

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Juryo Division

Sentoryu (5-2) Tomonohana (3-4)
Kobo (5-2) Kuniazuma (6-1)

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Sunday's main bouts

Asanowaka Daishi (juryo)
Kotoryu Aminishiki
Wakatsutomu Kaiho
Jumonji Daizen
Tochinohana Minatofuji
Kyokutenho Chiyotenzan
Tamakasuga Tokitsuumi
Oginishiki Tamanoshima
Akinoshima Kitazakura
Tochisakae Takanowaka
Kyokushuzan Toki
Kotonowaka Takanonami
Higonoumi Wakanosato
Hayateumi Kotomitsuki
Asashoryu Musoyama
Chiyotaikai Tochiazuma
Kaio Tochinonada
Miyabiyama Otsukasa
Tosanoumi Musashimaru

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