Musashimaru takes sole
lead at Kyushu sumo

FUKUOKA, Japan (AP) - Hawaii grappler Musashimaru cruised to an easy victory over rank-and-filer Toki on Wednesday to move into sole possession of the lead after the 11th day of the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament.

Fighting in the day's final bout at Fukuoka Kokusai Center, yokozuna (grand champion) Musashimaru, or Fiamalu Penitani, drove the seventh-ranked maegashira (senior wrestler) out with a powerful arm thrust to improve to 10-1. Toki dropped to 6-5.

With four days remaining in the 15-day tourney, Musashimaru leads Tochiazuma and Takanonami by one victory.

Ozeki (champion) Kaio, desperately needing a win to post a respectable record in the Kyushu tourney, got a hold of Tochiazuma's belt and bulldozed the sekiwake (junior champion) out to improve to 6-5.

Kaio, a native of Fukuoka, improved to 6-5 while handing Tochiazuma his second loss against nine wins.

Earlier, resurgent Takanonami, fighting as a No. 5 maegashira, locked horns with komusubi (junior champion second class) Asashoryu of Mongolia.

Asashoryu, or Dolgorsvren Dagvadri, took control at the face-off and shoved the stunned Futagoyama veteran back and over the straw ridge in a matter of seconds. Asashoryu improved to 8-3 while Takanonami relinquished his share of the lead and dropped to 9-2.

In other major bouts, ozeki Musoyama threw No. 6 maegashira Daizen (5-6) down and is two wins off the pace at 8-3 along with Asashoryu and fellow-Mongolian Kyokushuzan.

Kyokushuzan, or Batbayer Davaa, fell to 8-3 when he was shoved out by 15th-ranked maegashira Buyuzan, who improved to 6-5.

In the 26-member juryo division just below the senior makuuchi division, No. 3-ranked Sentoryu, or American Henry Armstrong Miller was defeated by sixth-ranked Harunoyama (3-8) to fall to 5-6 while No. 8 Tawanoyama (7-4) shoved out fourth-ranked Kuniazuma, or Brazilian Vander Ramos, who also dropped to 5-6.

Results of main sumo bouts

FUKUOKA, Japan (AP) - Results of main bouts Wednesday, the 11th day of the 15-day Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament at Fukuoka Kokusai Center:

Winners -- Losers

Tamarikido (7-4) -- Oikari (juryo) (8-3)
Kobo (5-6) -- Jumonji (juryo) (5-6)
Aogiyama (4-7) -- Takatoriki(juryo) (5-6)
Aminishiki (7-4) -- Kitazakura (3-8)
Tochisakae (4-7) -- Otsukasa (6-5)
Buyuzan (6-5) -- Kyokushuzan (8-3)
Chiyotenzan (6-5) -- Higonoumi (4-7)
Hamanishiki (3-8) -- Tamakasuga (4-7)
Kyokutenho (6-5) -- Wakanoyama (5-6)
Oginishiki (3-8) -- Tosanoumi (3-8)
Takanowaka (4-7) -- Akinoshima (4-7)
Tamanoshima (4-7) -- Tokitsuumi (1-10)
Wakanosato (6-5) -- Dejima (5-6)
Kotonowaka (6-5) -- Kaiho (5-6)
Asashoryu (8-3) -- Takanonami (9-2)
Kotomitsuki (6-5) -- Tochinonada (6-5)
Kaio (6-5) -- Tochiazuma (9-2)
Musoyama (8-3) -- Daizen (5-6)
Musashimaru (10-1) -- Toki (6-5)

Juryo Division

Harunoyama (3-8) -- Sentoryu (5-6)
Towanoyama (7-4) -- Kuniazuma (5-6)

Thursday's main bouts:

Shimotori (juryo) -- Buyuzan
Aogiyama -- Kuniazuma (juryo)
Hamanishiki -- Sentoryu (juryo)
Higonoumi -- Kitazakura
Kobo -- Wakanoyama
Tamarikido -- Chiyotenzan
Tamakasuga -- Aminishiki
Tochisakae -- Akinoshima
Otsukasa -- Kyokutenho
Kotonowaka -- Daizen
Tokitsuumi -- Oginishiki
Toki -- Dejima
Wakanosato -- Kyokushuzan
Takanowaka -- Tamanoshima
Tosanoumi -- Kaiho
Tochiazuma -- Takanonami
Musoyama -- Kotomitsuki
Kaio -- Tochinonada
Musashimaru -- Asashoryu

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