Sumo
NAGOYA, July 21 (Kyodo) - Ozeki Chiyotaikai won his second Emperor's Cup in style on Sunday by blasting out yokozuna Musashimaru for his 14th victory on the final day of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament. Chiyotaikai wins second
With the title already in the bag after nearest challenger sekiwake Asashoryu lost in the preceding bout, the burly Kokonoe stable grappler needed just a pair of mighty shoves to send Musashimaru tumbling to defeat in the grand finale at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium.
"I really can't believe it. It (the title victory) has been a long time coming," said Chiyotaikai, who lifted his first Emperor's Cup as a sekiwake in January 1999.
"Since becoming ozeki, I've had a lot of injuries and have never convinced myself that I am wrestling well. But I've come through here by sticking to my own sumo from the first to the last day of the tournament," he added.
Asashoryu (12-3) did just about everything he could to turn over Wakanosato and hope a Chiyotaikai loss would give him a crack at the title by way of a playoff.
But his efforts eventually proved futile as his fellow sekiwake won a titanic struggle for control of the mawashi before slamming the Mongolian onto the dirt surface for his 11th win.
Asashoryu, who the Japan Sumo Association decided earlier Sunday to promote to ozeki for the autumn meet - making him the first Mongolian ever to reach sumo's second-highest rank - collected his third Outstanding Performance Prize for his efforts.
Komusubi Tosanoumi (10-5) also received the Outstanding Performance Prize while No. 2 maegashira Takamisakari (9-6) won his first Technique Prize and eighth-ranked Shimotori (9-6) was awarded the Fighting Spirit Prize for the first time.
Grand champion Musashimaru, who appeared suspiciously uninterested in putting up a fight on the final two days of the tournament, closed out with his fourth straight defeat and an unimpressive 10-5 record.
In earlier bouts, Mongolian maegashira Kyokutenho (8-7), already assured of promotion in September, was unable to end the 15-day meet on a winning note after being bumped out by Tochisakae (9-3-3).
Compatriot Kyokushuzan (1-14), despite a solid 10-5 showing at the summer tourney in May, had a tournament to forget, finishing with only one win by default as he was muscled out by Chiyotenzan (5-10).
BOUTS AT NAGOYA SUMO
NAGOYA, July 21 (Kyodo) - Results of makuuchi-division bouts Sunday, the final day of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium (+denotes juryo-division wrestler):
Won Technique Lost +Wakakosho 7-8 oshidashi Hamanishiki 4-11 +Ushiomaru 13-2 oshidashi Hayateumi 6-9 +Tochinohana 8-7 uwatenage Jumonji 5-10 Daizen 6-9 oshidashi Oikari 7-8 Otsukasa 5-10 yorikiri Wakanoyama 6-9 Tochisakae 9-3-3 oshidashi Kyokutenho 8-7 Takanonami 9-6 yorikiri Tamanoshima 11-4 Toki 8-7 hikitoshi Shimotori 9-6 Buyuzan 10-5 oshidashi Kotomitsuki 7-8 Tamakasuga 6-7-2 hikiotoshi Akinoshima 6-9 Hokutoriki 7-8 oshidashi Aminishiki 6-9 Chiyotenzan 5-10 oshidashi Kyokushuzan 1-14 Tokitsuumi 8-7 yorikiri Takamisakari 9-6 Tochinonada 7-8 yorikiri Takanowaka 7-8 Tosanoumi 10-5 yorikiri Miyabiyama 6-9 Wakanosato 11-4 tsukiotoshi Asashoryu 12-3 Chiyotaikai 14-1 oshidashi Musashimaru 10-5 DIVISION WINNERS
Makuuchi - Chiyotaikai, Kokonoe stable (No. 2), 14-1
Juryo - Ushiomaru, Azumazeki stable, 13-2
Makushita - Kinkaiyama, Dewanoumi stable, 6-1 (winner in playoff)
Sandamme - Tamaryuma, Kataonami stable, 7-0
Jonidan - Nadatsukasa, Irumagawa stable, 7-0 (winner in playoff)
Jonokuchi - Roho, Taiho 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 Prize - Asashoryu, Takasago stable (3), Tosanoumi, Isenoumi stable, (6)
Technique Prize - Takamisakari, Azumazeki stable (1)
Fighting Spirit Prize - Shimotori, Tokitsukaze stable (1)
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