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Musashimaru alone at top


OSAKA, March 16 (Kyodo) >> Komusubi Wakanosato slapped down defending champion Kaio and Musashimaru rolled to another one-sided win Saturday as the yokozuna emerged the lone leader seven days into the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament.

With the ozeki on the sidelines nursing his first loss of the 15-day tourney, Musashimaru rammed No. 4 maegashira Akinoshima out of the ring at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium for his seventh straight win of the tournament.

Kaio's loss also gave hope to eight wrestlers with 5-2 records, including New Year champion Tochiazuma and fellow ozeki Musoyama, that their chances for the Emperor's Cup may reopen for them over the next eight days of the tournament.

In Saturday's key bout, Kaio and Wakanosato made strategic charges and took positions to prevent the other wrestler from securing control of their mawashi, or sashes, with the right hand.

After a brief stalemate, Kaio moved in strongly to grab the komusubi's belt, but Wakanosato (4-3) retreated to the edge of the ring and dragged the ozeki to the ring's surface.

In the final bout, Musashimaru denied Akinoshima (3-4) any chance of notching a record 17th upset win over a grand champion by pummeling the former sekiwake to the straw bales and then shoving him out of the ring.

Meanwhile, ozeki Tochiazuma, keeping his own hopes of a second straight tournament title alive, threw crafty komusubi Takanonami (3-4) into the ringside seats with a belt throw for a fifth win.

Musoyama also notched a fifth win by marching Mongolia's second-ranked maegashira Kyokutenho (1-6) straight out of the ring.

Sumo's fourth ozeki, Chiyotaikai, who was up for possible promotion to yokozuna along with Tochiazuma, saw those hopes dashed as he was bulldozed out of the ring by No. 3 maegashira Tochinonada.

Chiyotaikai, who squandered a strong charge, handed Tochinonada his second win of the tourney with an ill-advised pull-down attempt and was tagged with his third loss.

Sekiwake Kotomitsuki also saw his hopes for promotion to ozeki virtually dissipated with a fourth loss as top maegashira Tosanoumi (3-4) knocked him to all fours with a strong shove and twist.

In an all-Mongolia encounter, sekiwake Asashoryu (4-3) threw down No. 3 maegashira Kyokushuzan (1-6) by the back of the belt after an intense exchange of slaps and thrusts.



Results

OSAKA, March 16 (Kyodo) >> Results of makuuchi-division bouts Saturday, the seventh day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium (+ denotes juryo-division wrestler):

Won Technique Lost

+Kotoryu 5-2 uwatenage Wakanoyama 4-3

Oikari 3-4 yorikiri Oginishiki 3-4

Takamisakari 5-2 uwatenage Hamanishiki 4-3

Tochisakae 2-5 hikiotoshi Tamarikido 1-6

Tamanoshima 2-5 hikiotoshi Takatoriki 3-4

Kaiho 4-3 shitatenage Shimotori 5-2

Daizen 4-3 hatakikomi Tamakasuga 3-4

Takanowaka 5-2 tsukiotoshi Dejima 3-4

Otsukasa 5-2 hikiotoshi Miyabiyama 3-4

Aminishiki 5-2 chongake Tokitsuumi 2-5

Kotonowaka 3-4 yorikiri Toki 5-2

Asashoryu 4-3 shitatenage Kyokushuzan 1-6

Tosanoumi 3-4 oshitaoshi Kotomitsuki 3-4

Tochinonada 2-5 yorikiri Chiyotaikai 4-3

Tochiazuma 5-2 uwatenage Takanonami 3-4

Wakanosato 4-3 hikiotoshi Kaio 6-1

Musoyama 5-2 yorikiri Kyokutenho 1-6

Musashimaru 7-0 oshidashi Akinoshima 3-4


Sunday's bouts

Tamarikido x - x +Jumonji

Shimotori 0 - 0 Wakanoyama

Takatoriki 1 - 0 Oikari

Takamisakari 0 - 0 Takanowaka

Tochisakae 0 - 2 Oginishiki

Tamanoshima 1 - 0 Daizen

Hamanishiki 2 - 0 Tamakasuga

Aminishiki 0 - 4 Kaiho

Toki 2 - 8 Dejima

Miyabiyama 5 - 0 Tokitsuumi

Otsukasa 2 - 1 Kotonowaka

Tochinonada 4 - 8 Tosanoumi

Kotomitsuki 4 - 1 Kyokutenho

Musoyama 21 - 21 Takanonami

Asashoryu 2 - 2 Chiyotaikai

Tochiazuma 12 - 6 Akinoshima

Kyokushuzan 2 - 5 Kaio

Musashimaru 7 - 4 Wakanosato



For more sumo information online, try:
Sumo Web
Da Kine Sumo E-zine
Grand Sumo Home Page
Ozumo
CyberSumo.net
Kyodo News Service



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