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.
ANFIELD BLUES: Kylian Mbappe arrived at Anfield on a run of 21 goals in 17 games, but he managed just three attempts in the match, none of them hitting the target Kylian Mbappe has been nearly unstoppable this season, but he hit a roadblock in their UEFA Champions League match at Anfield on Tuesday. For the second year running, the Real Madrid forward had a night to forget at Merseyside as Liverpool won 1-0. Mbappe looked a shadow of the player who has been tearing defenses apart all season. “We were lacking that threat in the final third,” said Madrid coach Xabi Alonso, without naming Mbappe individually. The FIFA World Cup winner for France rarely looked capable of finding a breakthrough against a Liverpool team who have been so defensively fragile for much of the
Jemimah Rodrigues on Thursday hit an unbeaten 127 as India pulled off a record chase of 339 against Australia to set up a Women’s World Cup final against South Africa. Rodrigues and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, who hit 89, put on 167 runs for the third wicket as India won with nine balls and five wickets to spare at DY Patil Stadium, on the outskirts of Mumbai. The hosts finished on a total of 341-5 in reply to Australia’s impressive 338 and ensured there would be a new name on the 50-over trophy tomorrow. Amanjot Kaur hit the winning boundary to trigger wild celebrations
Jannik Sinner on Thursday eased past Francisco Cerundolo 7-5, 6-1 at the Paris Masters to set up a quarter-final clash with Ben Shelton, while reigning champion Alexander Zverev earned a straight-sets win over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the third round. A maiden crown in the French capital would return Sinner to No. 1 in the world rankings after current incumbent Carlos Alcaraz suffered a shock early exit at the hands of Britain’s Cameron Norrie. The Italian four-time Grand Slam champion is yet to drop a set in the tournament as he hones in on what would be a fifth title of the
LOCAL SUCCESS: In the doubles, Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei and Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia defeated Italians Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini in straight sets Elena Rybakina on Monday punched her ticket to the WTA Finals last four with an impressive 3-6, 6-1, 6-0 victory over second seed Iga Swiatek in round-robin play in Riyadh. After cruising past Amanda Anisimova in her opener on Saturday, Rybakina claimed her second win of the week to guarantee herself top spot in the Serena Williams Group. Anisimova on Monday rallied back from a set and a break down to triumph 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in her all-American battle with seventh seed Madison Keys, who has been eliminated from the competition. “Madi was playing so well, it was quite a battle out there,”
RSS