Sumo
Musashimaru
falls behind leadersNAGOYA, July 18 (Kyodo) -- Yokozuna Musashimaru was tossed to his second defeat Thursday but ozeki Chiyotaikai and sekiwake Asashoryu had little trouble disposing of their opponents to remain in a tie for the lead at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament.
The Samoan-born grand champion appeared to have the edge against Wakanosato when he wrapped the sekiwake up with a one-handed belt grip at the start of the day's final bout at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium.
Wakanosato (9-3), however, sidestepped to the left while sweeping his hands across the back of the burly yokozuna for a slap-down that sent Musashimaru tumbling into the ring seats.
With the loss, Musashimaru dropped to 10-2 and fell a pace behind co-leaders Chiyotaikai and Asashoryu, both at 11-1.
In an all-Mongolian encounter, Asashoryu got a firm grip on the left side of compatriot Kyokutenho's belt and nuzzled up before using his flexible frame and leverage to pound the No. 8 maegashira over the bales and to his fifth loss.
Asashoryu will possibly be considered for promotion to become the first Mongolian ozeki after the day's win and is seeking his first championship title.
Chiyotaikai got a bit of surprise when fifth-ranked maegashira Hokutoriki (4-8) locked arm-and-arm with him in a bear hug after the "tachiai," but the ozeki slipped away to execute a nicely timed beltless arm-throw.
No. 6 maegashira Kotomitsuki (5-7), rebounding from a broken jaw, snapped a sixth-bout losing skid, barging out Mongolian second-ranked Kyokushuzan, who was saddled with his 11th loss of the basho.
In an earlier bout, seventh-ranked Takanonami (8-4), a former ozeki, slipped to his second straight loss with a frontal push-out against No. 14 maegashira Buyuzan.
NAGOYA, July 18 (Kyodo) -- No. 12 maegashira Aogiyama withdrew from the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament after injuring his right knee in Thursday's bout, while fourth-ranked maegashira Kaiho is expected to join him in the expanding list of withdrawals. Aogiyama withdraws
Aogiyama, who has a 6-6 record in the 15-day meet, was carried off on a stretcher after being thrown out of the ring by fourth-ranked juryo Kasuganishiki at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium.
Kaiho (5-7) hurt his right ankle in a loss to komusubi Miyabiyama and officials of his Hakkaku stable said he is unlikely to wrestle Friday since he cannot walk on his own.
Withdrawals by the two wrestlers would increase the total to 16 among the wrestlers in the top two divisions of makuuchi and juryo, the second most in the postwar era behind 19 pullouts from the autumn tournament in 1945.
NAGOYA, July 18 (Kyodo) -- Results of makuuchi-division bouts Thursday, the 12th day of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium (+denotes juryo-division wrestler): Results
Won Technique Lost Oikari 7-5 tsukiotoshi +Tochinohana 6-6 +Gojoro 9-3 hikiotoshi Hamanishiki 3-9 +Iwakiyama 7-5 yoritaoshi Hayateumi 4-8 +Kasuganishiki 9-3 uwatenage Aogiyama 6-6 Akinoshima 5-7 uwatenage Chiyotenzan 3-9 Tokitsuumi 7-5 yorikiri Wakanoyama 5-7 Otsukasa 3-9 oshidashi Jumonji 4-8 Tochisakae 7-2-3 oshidashi Daizen 5-7 Tamanoshima 9-3 oshidashi Toki 6-6 Buyuzan 9-3 oshidashi Takanonami 8-4 Shimotori 8-4 yorikiri Takamisakari 7-5 Kotomitsuki 5-7 tsukidashi Kyokushuzan 1-11 Aminishiki 4-8 uwatenage Tochinonada 5-7 Miyabiyama 5-7 sukuinage Kaiho 5-7 Tosanoumi 7-5 yorikiri Takanowaka 5-7 Asashoryu 11-1 yorikiri Kyokutenho 7-5 Chiyotaikai 11-1 uwatenage Hokutoriki 4-8 Wakanosato 9-3 hatakikomi Musashimaru 10-2
Friday's bouts
Tamanoshima 1 - 0 Buyuzan Hamanishiki x - x +Kasuganishiki Hayateumi x - x +Asanowaka +Tochinohana x - x Aogiyama Jumonji 2 - 1 Chiyotenzan Kyokutenho 3 - 3 Daizen Toki 1 - 0 Oikari Aminishiki 5 - 2 Otsukasa Wakanoyama 5 - 3 Kaiho Takanowaka 6 - 3 Tokitsuumi Akinoshima 7 - 10 Kyokushuzan Takamisakari 1 - 0 Tochisakae Tochinonada 3 - 6 Kotomitsuki Tamakasuga 8 - 14 Tosanoumi Miyabiyama 1 - 0 Hokutoriki Takanonami 4 - 6 Wakanosato Asashoryu 4 - 2 Chiyotaikai Musashimaru 0 - 0 Shimotori
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