Wednesday, May 19, 2004

Yokozuna Asashoryu clobbered Kotomitsuki in a fierce attack Tuesday to retain his share of the lead at the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament.

Winners		Losers
Kaiho	6-4	Kobo	2-8
Hayateumi	6-4	Jumonji	5-5
Asanowaka	3-7	Harunoyama	3-7
Hakuho	8-2	Tosanoumi	4-6
Takanowaka	5-5	Tochisakae	4-6
Kyokushuzan	6-4	Futeno	7-3
Aminishiki	5-5	Buyuzan	2-8
Tamanoshima	8-2	Kinkaiyama	8-2
Tokitsuumi	6-4	Takekaze	6-4
Kotoryu	5-5	Takamisakari	3-7
Dejima	4-6	Toki	2-8
Iwakiyama	7-3	Kakizoe	4-6
Hokutoriki	9-1	Kokkai	7-3
Asasekiryu	2-8	Miyabiyama	1-9
Kyokutenho	3-7	Tochinonada	3-7
Musoyama	6-4	Kotonowaka	4-6
Kaio	8-2	Shimotori	3-7
Chiyotaikai	7-3	Wakanosato	7-3
Asashoryu	9-1	Kotomitsuki	5-5

In the day's final bout at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan, the Mongolian erupted like an angry volcano against his nemesis to stay in a two-way share of the lead at 9-1 with top-ranked maegashira Hokutoriki, who disposed of Kokkai.

Asashoryu is seeking his third straight Emperor's Cup after winning the spring basho with a perfect 15-0 record. Until Friday's shock defeat to Hokutoriki, the grand champion had gone 35-0, surpassing former yokozuna Taiho's run of 34 consecutive victories.

Asashoryu waited to set up the komusubi for the kill before using a body slam to dump Kotomitsuki to a 5-5 record. The yokozuna improved to 12-6 in career bouts against Kotomitsuki.

Elsewhere, Hokutoriki never gave Kokkai (7-3) a chance to come out the blocks, quickly ramming the seventh-ranked maegashira over the ridge with a firm frontal shove out.

Kinkaiyama dropped out of his share of the lead when he was barreled over in a matter of seconds by Tamanoshima, leaving both grapplers at 8-2.

Crowd favorite Takamisakari was slammed onto his back by Kotoryu (5-5), who deployed an outside leg trip immediately after the faceoff that sent the No. 4 maegashira to his seventh defeat.

Hakuho, a newly promoted makuuchi-division wrestler, posted his eighth victory for a winning record with a slap down of Tosanoumi, who dropped to 4-6.

In other key bouts, ozeki Kaio (8-2) kept his title hopes alive after obliterating Shimotori (3-7), using an underarm grip to heave the third-ranked maegashira wrestler over the ridge.

Sekiwake Wakanosato (7-3) got locked in a lengthy standstill with Chiyotaikai, but the ozeki prevailed with a twist down as both wrestlers tumbled to the surface.

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