Sumo
FUKUOKA, Nov. 22 (Kyodo) - Grand champion Musashimaru showed no signs of stage fright and barely broke sweat in blasting out Mongolian komusubi Asashoryu on Thursday to keep sole possession of the lead in the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament. Musashimaru
keeps leadSekiwake Tochiazuma, meanwhile, showed exactly why he is being touted as an ozeki candidate by producing a gritty win over veteran Takanonami to remain at the heels of the grand champion heading into the final three days at Fukuoka Kokusai Center.
Yokozuna Musashimaru, now 11-1 and aiming for his first Emperor's Cup of the year, never looked in any danger of surrendering his lead after shrugging off an early attack from Asashoryu (8-4) in the day's final bout.
Musashimaru quickly fended off the opening onslaught and needed minimum effort to extinguish the feisty Mongolian's fireworks, closing out the win with a powerful shove at the edge of the ring to record his third win out of the five meetings between the two men.
In a bout between wrestlers with 9-2 records, Tochiazuma somehow managed to stay upright as No. 10 maegashira Takanonami attempted to upend him with a backward leg trip and snatched a hard-earned victory with a beltless arm throw to improve to 10-2.
Also at sekiwake, Kotomitsuki (7-5), who had been touted an ozeki hopeful after winning the autumn tourney in September, warmed up for his appointment with Musashimaru on Friday by providing the day's upset win after barging out ozeki Musoyama (8-4).
Kaio (7-5) salvaged some pride for the ozeki camp, however, and moved within one win of retaining his status at sumo's second highest rank of ozeki by nonchalantly slamming down No. 4 maegashira Tochinonada (6-6).
In earlier bouts, Mongolia's No. 5 maegashira Kyokutenho (6-6) slipped on banana skin to hand victory to Otsukasa (7-5) while ninth-ranked compatriot Kyokushuzan (8-4), who secured a winning record on Wednesday, was barged out by No. 1 maegashira Wakanosato (6-6).
FUKUOKA, Nov. 22 (Kyodo) - Rank-and-filer Higonoumi pulled out of the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament on Thursday after dislocating his left shoulder and bruising his left elbow in Wednesday's bout. Higonoumi pulls out
No. 13 maegashira Higonoumi sustained the injuries, which are expected to require three months of medical treatment, in his loss to eighth-ranked Chiyotenzan at the tournament at Fukuoka Kokusai Center.
The loss was Higonoumi's seventh of the 15-day meet and means that the Mihogaseki stable grappler, who has been wrestling in the elite makuuchi division since the 1993 spring tournament, will be relegated to the second-tier juryo division for the New Year tourney.
Higonoumi withdrew from a tourney for the first time since last year's spring meet and forfeits his bout against Kitazakura on Thursday, leaving him with a 4-8 record at Kyushu.
FUKUOKA, Nov. 22 (Kyodo) - Results of makuuchi division bouts Thursday, the 12th day of the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament at Fukuoka Kokusai Center (+ denotes juryo division wrestler): Results
Won Technique Lost Buyuzan 7-5 yorikiri +Shimotori 8-4 +Kuniazuma 6-6 oshidashi Aogiyama 4-8 Hamanishiki 4-8 yorikiri +Sentoryu 5-7 Kitazakura 4-8 default Higonoumi 4-8 Kobo 6-6 kainahineri Wakanoyama 5-7 Chiyotenzan 7-5 yorikiri Tamarikido 7-5 Tamakasuga 5-7 oshidashi Aminishiki 7-5 Akinoshima 5-7 yoritaoshi Tochisakae 4-8 Otsukasa 7-5 hikiotoshi Kyokutenho 6-6 Daizen 6-6 oshidashi Kotonowaka 6-6 Oginishiki 4-8 yoritaoshi Tokitsuumi 1-11 Dejima 6-6 oshidashi Toki 6-6 Wakanosato 6-6 oshidashi Kyokushuzan 8-4 Takanowaka 5-7 yorikiri Tamanoshima 4-8 Tosanoumi 4-8 sukuinage Kaiho 5-7 Tochiazuma 10-2 sukuinage Takanonami 9-3 Kotomitsuki 7-5 yorikiri Musoyama 8-4 Kaio 7-5 uwatenage Tochinonada 6-6 Musashimaru 11-1 kotenage Asashoryu 8-4
Buyuzan 0 - 0 Aminishiki Friday's bouts
Tochisakae 2 - 0 Wakanoyama
Kyokushuzan 0 - 0 Kobo
Aogiyama 2 - 1 Chiyotenzan
Oginishiki 0 - 1 Hamanishiki
Tamarikido 0 - 0 Toki
Daizen 3 - 2 Otsukasa
Tokitsuumi 1 - 0 Kitazakura
Akinoshima 11 - 13 Tosanoumi
Takanowaka 5 - 2 Tamakasuga
Dejima 1 - 1 Tamanoshima
Wakanosato 5 - 2 Takanonami
Asashoryu 0 - 1 Tochinonada
Tochiazuma 9 - 3 Kotonowaka
Kaio 3 - 0 Kyokutenho
Musoyama 2 - 2 Kaiho
Musashimaru 3 - 3 Kotomitsuki
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