Sumo
FUKUOKA, Japan >> Yokozuna Musashimaru, or Hawaii Fiamalu Penetani, will undergo surgery on his injured left wrist next Tuesday, stablemaster Musashigawa said yesterday. Surgery set for
MusashimaruStar-Bulletin wire services
The 31-year-old grand champion damaged ligaments in his left wrist prior to the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament and had to pull out five days into the meet after aggravating the injury against Tamakasuga on Nov. 12.
Musashimaru will stay in the hospital for two weeks after the surgery and is expected to sit out the New Year tournament.
Tournament champion Asashoryu became the first Mongolian-born wrestler to win the Emperor's Cup.
"I never really thought about winning so much. I just went into every bout focusing on toppling my opponent and that's how I made it here," the 22-year-old champion said.
With his 14-1 record, Asashoryu has improved his chances of being promoted to sumo's highest rank of yokozuna in January.
Mushashimaru (with 12 Emperor's Cups) and Takanohana (22) are currently the only two yokozuna.
The tournament was plagued with injuries. Besides Musashimaru, Takanohana and ozekis Kaio and Chiyotaikai also dropped out of the basho with injuries.
Ozeki Tochiazuma managed to scrape together enough wins to avoid relegation from sumo's second-highest rank, finishing the tournament at 8-7.
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Kyodo News Service