Friday, July 16, 2004

NAGOYA (AP) Giant killer Wakanosato upset Asashoryu on Thursday to hand the Mongolian grand champion his second straight loss at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament.

Winners		Losers
Toki	5-7	Kasugao	3-6
Takanowaka	5-7	Tokitenku	4-8
Jumonji	6-6	Wakatoba	2-10
Tosanoumi	8-4	Hayateumi	6-6
Asasekiryu	9-3	Otsukasa	6-6
Harunoyama	2-10	Aminishiki	4-8
Hakuho	9-3	Buyuzan	7-5
Futeno	9-3	Takamisakari	6-6
Tokitsuumi	5-7	Kinkaiyama	4-8
Takekaze	5-7	Kaiho	5-7
Toyozakura	9-3	Dejima	7-5
Kakizoe	6-6	Kotoryu	3-9
Kyokushuzan	2-10	Tochisakae	4-8
Tochinonada	8-4	Kyokutenho	5-7
Iwakiyama	5-7	Kotonowaka	3-9
Kokkai	7-5	Tamanoshima	3-9
Hokutoriki	2-10	Kotomitsuki	5-7
Miyabiyama	10-2	Chiyotaikai	9-3
Kaio	9-3	Tochiazuma	9-3
Shimotori	8-4	Musoyama	8-4
Wakanosato	7-5	Asashoryu	10-2

Asashoryu, who lost to Tochiazuma on Wednesday, shoved sekiwake Wakanosato back after the face-off but hit the dirt surface while his opponent remained perched on the raised ring in the final bout at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium.

Mongolian Asashoryu, who is gunning for his fourth straight Emperor's Cup but has never won the Nagoya meet, is tied for the lead with Miyabiyama at 10-2 with three days of competition left. Wakanosato improved to 7-5.

In other major bouts, Miyabiyama read Chiyotaikai like a book when he sidestepped the charging ozeki at the face-off and swatted his opponent down to pick up his 10th win against a pair of losses.

Chiyotaikai, who is often criticized for relying too heavily on arm thrusts, fell to 9-3 and saw his title hopes suffer a major setback.

Sekiwake Tochiazuma couldn't pull off another upset against ozeki Kaio.

Kaio got both hands on the neck of Tochiazuma and forced his opponent out to give both wrestlers 9-3 records.

Ozeki Musoyama, who wrapped up a winning record on Wednesday to maintain his rank, was bundled out by Shimotori to drop to 8-4. Shimotori, a fourth-ranked maegashira, improved to 8-4.

Sekiwake Wakanosato pushes down Asashoryu to hand the yokozuna back-to-back losses in the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium.

No. 2 maegashira Kokkai took a step toward a winning record when he got both arms around Tamanoshima and drove the komusubi out over the edge to improve to 7-5. Tamanoshima was handed his ninth loss against only three wins.

Sekiwake Hokutoriki took advantage of a slip up by Kotomitsuki to improve to 2-10 while handing the komusubi grappler his seventh loss against five wins.

In an earlier bout, No. 14 maegashira Toyozakura got a hold of the back of Dejima's belt and flung the fourth-ranked maegashira out of the ring to improve to 9-3. Dejima dropped to 7-5.

Earlier Thursday it was announced that rank-and-filer Aminishiki pulled out of the tournament after straining ligaments in his right knee. The 25-year-old lost by default to Harunoyama (2-10) on Thursday and has a 4-8 record.

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