Print

Mail

wiki links

Kaio easily beaten by Asashoryu on final day of sumo

Yokozuna Asashoryu posted an easy win over ozeki Kaio yesterday, the final day of the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament.

Grand champion Asashoryu clinched his fourth Emperor's Cup on Saturday with a hard-fought win over Chiyotaikai, but barely broke a sweat in Sunday's win over Kaio.

Asashoryu went on the attack at the face off and got both arms around Kaio before calmly lifting the struggling ozeki out to finish at 13-2.

"I learned a lot from this tournament," said the 22-year-old Asashoryu. "It's important to stay focused from the first day and I hope I can continue to perform like this in the future."

It was a sweet victory for Asashoryu who was roundly criticized by sumo's hierarchy after a hair-pulling incident at the Nagoya tournament, which he pulled out of after getting off to a slow start.

Kaio, who won July's Nagoya tourney, had little chance against the feisty Mongolian and was saddled with a losing record of 7-8.

In the day's penultimate bout, Chiyotaikai bounced back from Saturday's loss when he used his trademark arm thrusts to slap fellow ozeki Tochiazuma out to improve to 11-4.

Tochiazuma, who needed a winning record in the Autumn tourney to maintain his ozeki status, finished with a solid 10-5 record.

In a showdown of sekiwake wrestlers, Wakanosato capped off his impressive showing in the Autumn tourney when he got his left arm around Miyabiyama and bulldozed his opponent out to finish at 11-4. It was tough showing for Miyabiyama who finished the tournament with a disappointing 4-11 record.

In earlier bouts, No. 2 maegashira Kyokutenho of Mongolia, winner of the fighting spirit award, was thrown down by Kotomitsuki to drop to 10-5. Kotomitsuki, a No. 6 maegashira, finished with an impressive 11-4 record.
This story has been viewed 1646 times.