Newly promoted ozeki Hakuho defeated lower-ranked fellow Mongolian Kyokutenho yesterday and was tied for the lead at 3-0 on the third day of the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament.
Hakuho, who was promoted to the sport's second highest rank in March, grabbed winless komusubi Kyokutenho with a left-hand grip and forced him out of the ring. With the win, Hakuho remained tied for the lead with ozeki Chiyotaikai, sekiwake Miyabiyama and rank-and-filer Hakurozan.
Hakuho, 21, is the fourth-youngest wrestler in modern sumo history to be promoted to ozeki after Takanohana, Taiho and Kitanoumi, who all went on to become yokozuna legends.
PHOTO: AP
Hakuho made his sumo debut in 2001 and is the second Mongolian to reach the title after grand champion Asashoryu.
Earlier yesterday, yokozuna Asashoryu withdrew from the 15-day tourney after injuring his right elbow in Monday's loss to second-ranked maegashira Wakanosato.
In Monday's bout, Asashoryu hit his elbow when he tumbled into the first row of seats from the raised ring after Wakanosato sidestepped at the ring's edge.
His injury will need about two months of treatment, the Japan Sumo Association said. Asashoryu's opponent on the third day, No. 3 maegashira Aminishiki, won the bout by default.
In other major bouts, ozeki Chiyotaikai improved to 3-0 with a win over third-ranked maegashira Kotoshogiku, who fell to 1-2.
Ozeki Kaio posted his first win when he hauled down Mongolian komusubi Ama near the center of the ring for a 1-2 record. Ama remained 0-3.
Ozeki Tochiazuma posted his second straight loss when Mongolian Asasekiryu prevailed after both exchanged a fierce series of shoves and thrusts. Second-ranked maegashira Asasekiryu improved to 2-1, while Tochiazuma fell to 1-2.
In another upset, ozeki Kotooshu was handed his second straight loss by Wakankosato, who flung down the Bulgarian grappler.
Wakanosato, who defeated Asashoryu on Monday, improved to 2-1, while Kotooshu dropped to 1-2.
Earlier, Estonian Baruto grabbed Hokutoriki's belt with his left hand before throwing the 13th-ranked maegashira down to the dirt. Baruto, making his debut in the elite makuuchi division, improved to 2-1, while Wakanosato remained winless.
SSC Napoli’s Italian Serie A title hopes suffered a late setback on Sunday when they were held to a 2-2 draw at home against Genoa, setting up a thrilling season finale with closest rivals Inter just one point behind. The hosts remain top with 78 points, holding a slim lead over Inter, who won 2-0 at Torino earlier on Sunday, with two rounds remaining. To make matters worse for Napoli, midfielder Stanislav Lobotka, struggling with an ankle injury, was forced off just minutes after the match began. Scott McTominay delivered a perfect pass into the box where Romelu Lukaku got
Harry Kane opened the scoring ahead of lifting his first career silverware as Bayern Munich beat Borussia Moenchengladbach 2-0, with veteran Thomas Mueller playing his last home game for the club. Bayern officially won the title on May 4 when defending champions Bayer Leverkusen were held to a 2-2 draw at Freiburg, but were presented with the Bundesliga shield in front of their home fans at full-time. Dripping wet after being showered with beer by teammates, Kane said the title win was “an incredible feeling,” and hoped it would be “the first of many.” “It’s been lot of hard work, a lot of
A stunning Lamine Yamal strike on Thursday helped crown Barcelona La Liga champions with a 2-0 win over local rivals RCD Espanyol, with victory ensuring Real Madrid cannot catch them at the top of the table. Yamal’s effort and Fermin Lopez’s goal took Hansi Flick’s side seven points clear of Los Blancos with two matches remaining, to clinch Barcelona’s 28th title and complete a superb domestic treble. Only the UEFA Champions League title escaped an exciting young Barca side this season, as they won the league for the second time in six years, at Espanyol’s ground again just as in 2022-2023. Back then,
Jannik Sinner on Thursday marched into the semi-finals of the Italian Open after destroying Casper Ruud in straight sets 6-0, 6-1, while Coco Gauff won a marathon three-set battle with China’s Zheng Qinwen to advance to the women’s singles final. American Gauff is to face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in today’s title match after pulling through 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) in a match that lasted over three-and-a-half hours. Ruud was supposed to be Sinner’s toughest test in Rome since he came back from his three-month doping ban, as the Norwegian came into the match in hot form on clay after winning in
RSS