Sumo
TOKYO, Sept. 18 (Kyodo) - Rank-and-filer Kotomitsuki kept the pressure Tuesday to open up his lead in the hunt for the Emperor's Cup as the focus of the bizarre Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament fell on the No. 2 maegashira. Kotomitsuki leads,
Musashimaru at 6-4In the day's key bout, Kotomitsuki got a piece of Daizen's belt and wrenched him sideways before tossing the No. 8 maegashira out of the ring for an emphatic win to become the only wrestler at 9-1 on the 10th day of the 15-day tournament at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan.
Mongolian Asashoryu (7-3), looking for a fierce showdown with Kotomitsuki, fell to the dirt against No. 3 maegashira Tosanoumi (5-5), who graciously sidestepped the rampaging top-ranked maegashira and headed off for an early shower.
Asashoryu's loss allowed Kotomitsuki to move two wins clear of four wrestlers tied for second with five days left in the tournament, which has lost one yokozuna and three ozeki to injuries.
Earlier in the day, ozeki Miyabiyama officially joined a list of withdrawals after suffering a dislocated joint in Monday's defeat and will be demoted from sumo's second-highest rank with back-to-back losing records.
Musashimaru (6-4), nowhere near the vigorous yokozuna he is known to be, redeemed a semblance of his old self with a safe win.
The grand champion from Hawaii rushed in off the charge to scoop up a struggling Takanonami (4-6) with an under-hand grab, sending the No. 5 maegashira tumbling over the edge in the final bout.
At ozeki, Musashigawa stablemate Dejima's hopes of notching at least 10 wins and returning to ozeki in November evaporated when he was sent sprawling to the dirt by No. 2 Takanowaka (6-4) for his sixth loss.
Musoyama (7-3) flexed his best muscle for the downtrodden Musashigawa camp by ousting a tentative-looking Kyukushuzan (4-6), a sixth-ranked maegashira from Mongolia.
Sekiwake Tochiazuma slapped down No. 4 maegashira Kaiho (6-4) and No. 8 maegashira Kyokutenho shoved out Wakanoyama (5-5) in a matter of seconds to remain in contention at 7-3.
TOKYO, Sept. 18 (Kyodo) - Ozeki Miyabiyama pulled out of the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament due to an ankle injury he sustained in Monday's bout, the Japan Sumo Association confirmed Tuesday. Miyabiyama injured, to be demoted
Miyabiyama, who has been diagnosed with a dislocated joint in his left ankle that needs two months to heal, will be demoted to sekiwake after failing to post a winning record for the second consecutive tournament.
Miyabiyama, a 24-year-old Musashigawa stable wrestler, is the third ozeki to pull out of the 15-day meet at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan following withdrawals last week by Kaio and Chiyotaikai.
Coupled with yokozuna Takanohana's absence, as many as four wrestlers in the top two ranks are missing from a grand sumo tournament for the first time since March 1999.
On Monday, Miyabiyama lost to fourth-ranked maegashira Kaiho for his sixth loss against three wins. He needs at least 10 wins in November to make a quick return to ozeki.
TOKYO, Sept. 18 (Kyodo) - Results of makuuchi division bouts Tuesday, the 10th day of the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan (+ indicates juryo division wrestler): Results
Won Technique Lost
+Terao 6-4 tsukiotoshi Daishi 3-7
Wakatsutomu 2-8 yorikiri +Juzan 3-7
Kitazakura 6-4 yorikiri +Kobo 5-5
Hamanishiki 6-4 hikiotoshi Oginishiki 5-5
Takatoriki 6-4 oshidashi Higonoumi 5-5
Otsukasa 5-5 oshitaoshi Chiyotenzan 5-5
Kyokutenho 7-3 yorikiri Wakanoyama 5-5
Aminishiki 6-4 yoritaoshi Hayateumi 4-6
Akinoshima 6-4 oshidashi Kotoryu 5-5
Toki 5-5 hikiotoshi Tamakasuga 2-8
Kotomitsuki 9-1 okuridashi Daizen 6-4
Tosanoumi 5-5 tsukiotoshi Asashoryu 7-3
Wakanosato 5-5 uwatenage Tokitsuumi 5-5
Kotonowaka 4-6 yorikiri Tamanoshima 4-6
Tochiazuma 7-3 hatakikomi Kaiho 6-4
Takanowaka 6-4 hikiotoshi Dejima 4-6
Musoyama 7-3 oshidashi Kyokushuzan 4-6
Tochinonada 5-5 default Miyabiyama 3-7
Musashimaru 6-4 sukinage Takanonami 4-6
Wednesday's bouts
+Sentoryu x - x Wakatsutomu
Daishi x - x +Wakakosho
Kitazakura 0 - 0 Hamanishiki
Chiyotenzan 0 - 1 Aminishiki
Takatoriki 2 - 1 Otsukasa
Higonoumi 2 - 3 Wakanoyama
Kyokutenho 4 - 3 Akinoshima
Daizen 1 - 2 Kotoryu
Oginishiki 3 - 3 Toki
Hayateumi 0 - 1 Tamakasuga
Tosanoumi 7 - 5 Kyokushuzan
Kotonowaka 1 - 2 Takanowaka
Asashoryu 0 - 1 Tamanoshima
Wakanosato 2 - 2 Kotomitsuki
Kaiho 0 - 4 Dejima
Tochiazuma 1 - 0 Tokitsuumi
Musoyama 19 - 20 Takanonami
Musashimaru 13 - 1 Tochinonada
TOKYO (AP) - Lower-ranked Kotomitsuki stayed atop the standings with a 9-1 record Tuesday, as his closest rival Asashoryu from Mongolia suffered his third upset defeat on the 10th day of the 15-day Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament. Kotomitsuki keeps
solo lead at 9-1In the day's final bout, Hawaiian-born yokozuna (grand champion) Musashimaru, or Fiamalu Penitani, grabbed No. 5 maegashira (senior wrestler) Takanonami's belt and threw him down for his sixth win against four defeats. Takanonami is 4-6.
No. 2 maegashira (senior wrestler) Kotomitsuki now has a two-victory lead over his four closest rivals - ozeki (champion) Musoyama, sekiwake (junior champion) Tochiazuma, No. 1 maegashira Asashoryu and No. 8 maegashira Mongolian Kyokutenho.
Ozeki Miyabiyama withdrew from the tournament Tuesday because of an ankle injury he sustained in Monday's bout.
He is the third ozeki to pull out of the current tournament, following Kaio and Chiyotaikai.
Wrestling at the Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Arena in downtown Tokyo, Kotomitsuki held on against No. 8 maegashira Daizen's initial charge and sent him out from behind, leaving Daizen at 6-4.
No. 3 maegashira Tosanoumi sidestepped to the right in the initial charge and slapped down Asashoryu, or Dolgorsvren Dagvadrj, for his fifth victory against five defeats.
In other major bouts, Musoyama pushed out No. 6 maegashira Kyokushuzan, or Mongolian Batbayar Davaa, leaving Kyokushuzan at 4-6.
Tochiazuma sidestepped to left and slapped down No. 4 maegashira Kaiho. Kaiho is 6-4.
No. 2 maegashira Takanowaka fought off sekiwake Dejima's driving attempt by tossing him down for his sixth victory against four defeats. Dejima is 4-6.
Kyokutenho, or Mongolian Tsevegnyam Nyamjav, grabbed No. 12 maegashira Wakanoyama's belt quickly and bulldozed him out, leaving Wakanoyama at 5-5.
In the 26-member juryo division just below the senior makuuchi division, No. 2-ranked Sentoryu, or American Henry Armstrong Miller, pulled down No. 7-ranked Harunoyama for his fifth victory against five defeats. Harunoyama is 4-6.
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