Sumo
Musashimaru survives
but Tochiazuma derailed
at spring sumoOSAKA, Japan (AP) - Yokozuna Musashimaru held a share of the lead but rival Tochiazuma fell one win off the pace Wednesday, the fourth day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament.
In the day's biggest upset, ozeki Tochiazuma suffered his first loss when towering No. 2 maegashira Kotonowaka got a left-hand grip on the back of Tochiazuma's belt and flipped him over the straw ridge at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium. Kotonowaka improved to 2-2.
Tochiazuma, who is bidding for possible promotion to sumo's highest rank of yokozuna, looked off his game Wednesday and can ill-afford another loss at the 15-day tourney.
Musashimaru, meanwhile, remained poised despite a spirited effort by giant killer Tosanoumi, who upset ozeki Chiyotaikai on Tuesday and was looking for his third win of the tourney.
But it wasn't to be. The Hawaiian grand champion shrugged off several arm thrusts before shoving the top maegashira out to improve to 4-0.
With the victory, Musashimaru, who is seeking his 10th Emperor's Cup, is tied for lead along with Kaio and No. 13 maegashira Takamisakari, who shoved out 14th-ranked maegashira Takatoriki in an earlier bout.
In other major bouts Wednesday, komusubi Takanonami was pushed back by sekiwake Kotomitsuki at the face off but the former ozeki deployed a right arm throw to send Kotomitsuki tumbling to his second loss of the tourney. Takanonami evened his record at 2-2.
Ozeki Chiyotaikai bounced back from Tuesday's loss to Tosanoumi with a win over struggling No. 2 maegashira Kyokutenho. Chiyotaikai drove winless Kyokutenho, or Mongolian Tsevegynyam Nyamjav, back several steps and then pulled him down to pick up his third win.
Kyokushuzan, or Mongolian Batbayer Davaa, tried to sidestep Musoyama at the face off but the burly ozeki read the No. 3 maegashira like a book and shoved him out to improve to 3-1 while handing Kyokushuzan his third loss.
Sekiwaka Asashoryu, or Dolgorsvren Dagradji, completed the string of bad luck for the Mongolian wrestlers Wednesday after being shoved out by undefeated ozeki Kaio to suffer his third loss.
OSAKA, March 13 (Kyodo) >> Results of makuuchi division bouts on Wednesday, the fourth day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium (+ denotes juryo-division wrestler): Results
Won Technique Lost +Tochinohana 1-3 yorikiri Tamarikido 0-4 Takamisakari 4-0 yorikiri Takatoriki 2-2 Oginishiki 2-2 yorikiri Shimotori 3-1 Wakanoyama 2-2 oshidashi Takanowaka 3-1 Oikari 2-2 oshidashi Tochisakae 0-4 Hamanishiki 3-1 shitatedashinage Daizen 2-2 Miyabiyama 2-2 oshidashi Tamanoshima 1-3 Kaiho 2-2 kubinage Dejima 2-2 Tamakasuga 2-2 tsukiotoshi Aminishiki 3-1 Toki 3-1 tsukiotoshi Akinoshima 2-2 Otsukasa 3-1 yorikiri Tokitsuumi 1-3 Tochinonada 1-3 sukuinage Wakanosato 1-3 Takanonami 2-2 sukuinage Kotomitsuki 2-2 Musoyama 3-1 okuridashi Kyokushuzan 1-3 Chiyotaikai 3-1 hikiotoshi Kyokutenho 0-4 Kotonowaka 2-2 uwatenage Tochiazuma 3-1 Kaio 4-0 oshidashi Asashoryu 1-3 Musashimaru 4-0 oshidashi Tosanoumi 2-2
Thursday's bouts
+Jumonji x - x Wakanoyama Oginishiki 1 - 0 Tamarikido Tochisakae 1 - 1 Takatoriki Takamisakari 1 - 0 Daizen Tamanoshima 0 - 0 Shimotori Oikari 1 - 1 Tamakasuga Dejima 0 - 0 Hamanishiki Aminishiki 0 - 1 Takanowaka Kaiho 5 - 3 Otsukasa Toki 3 - 2 Miyabiyama Kyokutenho 3 - 6 Tokitsuumi Wakanosato 3 - 8 Kotonowaka Kotomitsuki 1 - 0 Kyokushuzan Tosanoumi 6 - 18 Kaio Musoyama 18 - 11 Akinoshima Takanonami 6 - 13 Chiyotaikai Tochiazuma 3 - 2 Asashoryu Musashimaru 14 - 2 Tochinonada
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