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Thursday March 22, 5:24 PMSumo: Hakuho unstoppable, Asashoryu lurking in hunt for title(Kyodo) _ Mongolian ozeki Hakuho was picture perfect in a demolition of sekiwake Kotomitsuki to retain the sole lead at the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament on Thursday.In the penultimate bout, Hakuho got a left-handed grip on Kotomitsuki's mawashi after a slight tussle and waited for the sekiwake to break his stance before sending him packing over the edge to improve to 11-1. Kotomitsuki fell to 8-4. Mongolian grand champion Asashoryu, meanwhile, stayed well within shooting range at 10-2, dismantling ozeki Kaio. In the day's final bout at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Asashoryu had to tear down Kaio's hand defense but finally got an underhand hand grip on his opponent's belt before exploding forward to blast Kaio into the ringside seats. Injury-weary Kaio suffered his seventh loss. Yokozuna Asashoryu lost his first two bouts at the 15-day meet but has been no-nonsense ever since as he aims to claim his fifth straight title and 21st Emperor's Cup overall with three days remaining in Osaka. Tochiozan, a 14th-ranked maegashira who made his debut in the elite division at the Osaka meet, also has 10 wins and has displayed superior sumo but has yet to face any of sumo's upper echelon. Bulgarian ozeki Kotooshu lost a bout to Kokkai, a rank-and-filer from the former Soviet republic of Georgia. Kokkai knocked the ozeki off-balance after the face-off and after a series of fierce slaps, scooped up Kotooshu from the rear to pick up his ninth win. Kotooshu, who continues to disappoint with his eye-of-the-pussycat-type sumo, slipped to 7-5. Ozeki Tochiazuma (8-4) unexpectedly pulled out of the meet after he had to be hospitalized earlier the same day to treat high blood pressure. He forfeited his bout against Chiyotaikai, who got a break to see his record improve to 7-5. Earlier in the day, Tochiozan manhandled Homasho (8-4), grappling his opponent with two hands before tossing him hard to the dirt surface. Mongolian komusubi Ama (7-5) threw down Toyonoshima (6-6) in a counterattack when the top-ranked maegashira tried an ill-advised throwing technique of his own. Crowd favorite Takamisakari piled out Kakuryu in a frontal attack. Both wrestlers were left with 7-5 records. |
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