Musashimaru loses on final day

But he walks away with title

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OSAKA, Japan (AP) -- A day after clinching top honors, yokozuna (grand champion) Musashimaru finished the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament on Sunday with a meaningless loss to ozeki (champion) Tochiazuma.

The Hawaiian wrestler, born Fiamalu Penitani, ended up 13-2 and walked away with his 10th career tournament title. He assured himself of the championship on Saturday, when he slapped ozeki Chiyotaikai into the dirt.

Ozeki Kaio was the runner-up, finishing just one victory behind at 12-3.

In the day’s final bout at the Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium in western Japan, Musashimaru initially drove Tochiazuma to the ringside. But Tochiazuma turned the tables on the grand champion, spinning him around and pushing him out from behind. The ozeki notched his 10th victory against five defeats.

“It was a long and tough two weeks. (The stress) gave me a stomach ache every night,” Musashimaru joked at Sunday’s award ceremony.

Kaio picked up an easy win Sunday when his scheduled opponent, sekiwake (junior champion) Kotomitsuki, dropped out of the tournament because of a broken jaw he suffered Friday. Kotomitsuki ended up 8-7.

In other major bouts, Mongolian sekiwake Asashoryu grabbed No. 3 maegashira (senior wrestler) Tochinonada’s left arm and threw him out to finish at 11-4. Tochinonada slipped to 8-7.

Ozeki Musoyama survived a ringside push by equally ranked Chiyotaikai and threw him to the dirt for a 10th victory against five losses, leaving Chiyotakiai at 7-8.

No. 2 maegashira Kyokutenho -- Tsevegynyam Nyamjav of Mongolia -- grabbed 10th-ranked maegashira Tochisakae’s belt and bulldozed him out, improving to 6-9. Tochisakae was 5-10.

Another Mongolian, Batbayar Davaa, wrestling as Kyokushuzan, lifted No. 3 maegashira Kotonowaka’s right leg and toppled him after a five-minute standoff. Kyokushuzan ended up at 2-13, and Kotonowaka at 4-11.

Results

OSAKA, March 24 (Kyodo) -- Results of makuuchi-division bouts Sunday, the final day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium (+ denotes juryo-division wrestler):

Won		Technique	Lost
Oginishiki	4-11	yorikiri	+Kobo	5-10
+Jumonji	11-4	tsukiotoshi	Oikari	7-8
Hamanishiki	7-8	uwatenage	Shimotori	6-9
Tamarikido	4-11	uwatenage	Daizen	9-6
Kaiho	7-8	hatakikomi	Takatoriki	6-9
Miyabiyama	9-6	yorikiri	Takamisakari	9-6
Tamakasuga	8-7	oshidashi	Wakanoyama	9-6
Takanowaka	11-4	tsukidashi	Toki	8-7
Akinoshima	7-8	yorikiri	Tamanoshima	6-9
Kyokushuzan	2-13	komatasukui	Kotonowaka	4-11
Kyokutenho	6-9	yorikiri	Tochisakae	5-10
Tosanoumi	7-8	hikiotoshi	Dejima	6-9
Takanonami	6-9	tsukiotoshi	Otsukasa	6-9
Wakanosato	9-6	hatakikomi	Aminishiki	10-5
Kaio	12-3	default	Kotomitsuki	8-7
Asashoryu	11-4	hatakikomi	Tochinonada	8-7
Musoyama	10-5	tsukiotoshi	Chiyotaikai	7-8
Tochiazuma	10-5	okuridashi	Musashimaru	13-2

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Division winners

Makuuchi -- Musashimaru, Musashigawa stable, 13-2 (No. 10)
Juryo -- Kotoryu, Sadogatake stable, 12-3 (winner in playoff)
Makushita -- Gojoro, Magaki stable, 7-0
Sandamme -- Ama, Ajigawa stable 7-0 (winner in playoff)
Jonidan -- Hanada, Naruto stable, 7-0
Jonokuchi -- Kajiwara, Tokitsukaze stable, 7-0
(Note: Wrestlers in sumo’s four junior divisions compete in only seven bouts during the tournament.)

Special awards for makuuchi division wrestlers

Outstanding Performance Award -- Asashoryu, Takasago stable (2)
Technique Prize -- Aminishiki, Ajigawa stable (1)
Fighting Spirit Prize -- Takanowaka, Naruto stable (2)

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