Musashimaru kicks off
spring sumo on winning note

OSAKA (AP) - Grand champion Musashimaru of Hawaii got off to a winning start with a convincing win over Takanonami on Sunday, the opening day of the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament.

Fighting in the day's final bout at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Musashimaru calmly got a hold of Takanonami's belt with his right hand and shoved the komusubi (junior champion second class) out over the straw ridge.

With fellow yokozuna (grand champion) Takanohana sitting out a fifth straight tournament due to a knee injury, Musashimaru, or Fiamalu Penitani, is the only grand champion competing in the spring tournament.

In other major bouts Sunday, ozeki (champion) Tochiazuma, winner of the New Year tourney in January, looked solid in a win over Wakanosato.

Wakanosato got a hold of Tochiazuma's belt shortly after the face off but couldn't budge the stocky ozeki. Tochiazuma quickly turned the tables and forced the komusubi grappler out in a matter of seconds.

Tochiazuma will be bidding for his second straight title here and possible promotion to yokozuna, sumo's highest rank.

Fellow ozeki Chiyotaikai, also hoping for promotion to grand champion, drove out top maegashira (senior wrestler) Buyuzan.

In another bout, Sekiwake (junior champion) Kotomitsuki got a hold of the front of Tochinonada's belt and then shoved the third-ranked maegashira out for his opening-day win. Kotomitsuki is hoping a strong performance in the spring tourney will earn him promotion to ozeki.

Meanwhile, the makuuchi division's three Mongolian wrestlers got off to a rough start Sunday.

Third-ranked maegashira Kyokushuzan, or Batbayer Davaa, lost to No. 4 maegashira Akinoshima; sekiwake Asashoryu, or Dolgorsvren Dagvadrj, fell to No. 2 maegashira Kotonowaka; and Kyokutenho, or Tsevegnyam Nyamjav, was pushed out by ozeki Kaio.

SPRING SUMO TOURNEY

OSAKA, March 10 (Kyodo) - Results of makuuchi division bouts on Sunday, the 1st day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium (+ indicates juryo-division wrestler):

Won		Technique	Lost
Wakanoyama	1-0	yorikiri	Tamarikido	0-1
Takatoriki	1-0	hikiotoshi	Oginishiki	0-1
Takamisakari	1-0	default	Towanoyama	0-1
Shimotori	1-0	yorikiri	Oikari	0-1
Takanowaka	1-0	yoritaoshi	Hamanishiki	0-1
Daizen	1-0	oshidashi	Tochisakae	0-1
Kaiho	1-0	uchigake	Tamanoshima	0-1
Miyabiyama	1-0	yorikiri	Tamakasuga	0-1
Dejima	1-0	yorikiri	Hayateumi	0-1
Aminishiki	1-0	oshidashi	Otsukasa	0-1
Tokitsuumi	1-0	oshidashi	Toki	0-1
Akinoshima	1-0	yoritaoshi	Kyokushuzan	0-1
Kotonowaka	1-0	oshidashi	Asashoryu	0-1
Kotomitsuki	1-0	yorikiri	Tochinonada	0-1
Kaio	1-0	yorikiri	Kyokutenho	0-1
Tosanoumi	1-0	katasukashi	Musoyama	0-1
Chiyotaikai	1-0	oshidashi	Buyuzan	0-1
Tochiazuma	1-0	yoritaoshi	Wakanosato	0-1
Musashimaru	1-0	yorikiri	Takanonami	0-1

MONDAY'S BOUTS

+Kobo	x	-	x	Takatoriki
Takamisakari	0	-	0	Wakanoyama
Tamarikido	0	-	1	Oikari
Oginishiki	1	-	1	Takanowaka
Tochisakae	0	-	0	Shimotori
Hamanishiki	0	-	0	Kaiho
Aminishiki	0	-	0	Miyabiyama
Daizen	1	-	0	Hayateumi
Tamanoshima	1	-	0	Otsukasa
Akinoshima	14	-	6	Tamakasuga
Dejima	1	-	2	Tokitsuumi
Toki	0	-	8	Kyokushuzan
Tosanoumi	9	-	21	Takanonami
Buyuzan	0	-	0	Asashoryu
Tochiazuma	11	-	3	Tochinonada
Kotonowaka	7	-	17	Kaio
Musoyama	3	-	5	Kotomitsuki
Wakanosato	1	-	6	Chiyotaikai
Musashimaru	5	-	0	Kyokutenho

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