Sumo
TOKYO, Jan. 25 (Kyodo) -- Ozeki Asashoryu pulled out all the stops against Kotomitsuki on Saturday to claim his second consecutive Emperor's Cup by winning the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament and virtually secure promotion to yokozuna. Asashoryu clinches title;
top ranking could be nextFrom staff and wire reports
Asashoryu is expected to receive the final nod from the Japan Sumo Association (JSA) for his promotion to sumo's highest rank Wednesday after meeting the requirements of winning the 15-day tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo with 13 or more wins.
In the day's penultimate bout, the jaunty Mongolian got down to business, quickly outmaneuvering his sekiwake nemesis.
Kotomitsuki (8-6) got his right hand under the ozeki's armpit for leverage in an early tussle. But Asashoryu retaliated by whipping Kotomitsuki's arm around and grabbing a thigh as he plowed him over the edge to move to an insurmountable 13-1 record.
"After I knew I'd won the bout, I just felt like 'Wow, I've really done it!' I just had to believe that my injuries would heal quickly," said Asashoryu, who hurt his leg and foot in his only loss of the tournament suffered in a ninth-day bout against rank-and-filer Kaiho.
"I never dreamed that I'd get this far. I appreciate all of the support my fans, my parents, my sumo elder Takasago and my wife have given me. I'll have to do my best next meet," he said.
Following his back-to-back tournament victories, JSA chairman Kitanoumi said Asashoryu "brightened up his way by meeting the minimum of requirements," adding one more win "will put more weight" on his record and thus smooth out the way for promotion.
A JSA committee in charge of promotion of wrestlers is expected to convene Sunday morning to discuss Asashoryu's case and ask Kitanoumi to call up the JSA executives and members of the Yokozuna Deliberation Council, a powerful advisory body to the JSA.
This process would eventually make the 22-year-old, who won the Kyushu tourney in November at 14-1, the 68th yokozuna in sumo history and first from Mongolia, enabling him to join Musashimaru as the only grand champions after the retirement of Takanohana on Monday.
In Saturday's other bouts, komusubi Wakanosato (11-3), coming off a costly loss to Asashoryu sition but got above the sixth-ranked maegashira before pushing him down into a split to hand him a losing record.
Earlier, third-ranked Dejima (10-4) saw his chance at the title evaporate after falling to top-ranked Tosanoumi (7-7).
The former ozeki surged with a superb charge after the face-off but stumbled clumsily onto the clay under the momentum of his own weight and a sidestepping Tosanoumi.
Meanwhile, ozeki Musoyama (8-6) redeemed some respectability with a bread-and-butter win over eighth-ranked Kotoryu (8-6).
Sekiwake Takanowaka (9-5) lorded over crowd-favorite Takamisakari (9-5), lifting the ninth-ranked grappler over the edge for an emphatic frontal force-out.
South Korean Kasugao (9-5) dumped Takanotsuru (9-5) to the dirt but had to be carted away in a wheelchair with an apparent leg injury.
TOKYO, Jan. 25 (Kyodo) - Results of makuuchi-division bouts for Saturday, the 14th day of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo (+ indicates juryo-division wrestler): Day 14
Won Technique Lost Tamarikido 8-6 yorikiri +Oikari 5-9 Kasugao 9-5 shitatenage Takanotsuru 9-5 Jumonji 5-9 okuridashi +Aogiyama 7-7 +Kinkaiyama 8-6 hatakikomi Kasuganishiki 6-8 Tochinohana 6-8 hikiotoshi Gojoro 5-9 Tamanoshima 8-6 yorikiri Kobo 4-10 Wakanoyama 8-6 katasukashi Iwakiyama 6-8 Akinoshima 5-9 yorikiri Aminishiki 4-10 Otsukasa 4-10 yoritaoshi Tokitsuumi 5-9 Shimotori 8-6 yorikiri Kotonowaka 7-7 Tochinonada 10-4 yorikiri Kyokutenho 8-6 Toki 3-11 hikiotoshi Hokutoriki 4-10 Tosanoumi 7-7 hatakikomi Dejima 10-4 Kaiho 6-8 sukuinage Takanonami 7-7 Wakanosato 11-3 hikiotoshi Kyokushuzan 6-8 Takanowaka 9-5 yorikiri Takamisakari 9-5 Asashoryu 13-1 oshidashi Kotomitsuki 8-6 Musoyama 8-6 oshidashi Kotoryu 8-6
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