Grand champion Asashoryu extended his winning streak yesterday after throwing out Tochiazuma to stay in sole lead at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament.
Asashoryu's fellow Mongolian, ozeki Hakuho, beat Kotooshu to keep his hopes alive for promotion to sumo's highest rank of yokozuna, and shared the second spot with three other wrestlers.
In the day's final bout at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium in central Japan, Asashoryu grabbed Tochiazuma's belt while shoving him toward the ringside, then sent him out with a final push for a perfect 11-0 record. Tochiazuma sank to 8-3.
Hakuho fended off Kotooshu's strong charge and pushed out the Bulgarian who desperately resisted at the ringside. Kotooshu fell to 6-5.
Hakuho, who cannot afford any more losses in Nagoya to earn promotion, is now 9-2.
In the tournament championship hunt, one ozeki and two rank-and-filers managed to share the second spot at 9-2, despite suffering a defeat each yesterday.
Chiyotaikai landed on his stomach after failing to clash into Baruto's chest, as the Estonian skillfully sidestepped to avoid the ozeki's head-first charge. Baruto improved to 7-4. No. 10 maegashira Tamanoshima was shoved out by lower-ranked Tochinohana (7-4), and No. 12-maegashira Tamakasuga was tossed out by No. 6 maegashira Dejima (6-5).
In other major bouts, sekiwake Kotomitsuki grabbed ozeki Kaio's mawashi belt with his right hand and threw him out, leaving both at 7-4. Sekiwake Miyabiyama bulldozed out smaller Hakurozan to collect his sixth victory against five losses. The No. 2 maegashira from Russia fell to 2-9.
Georgian Kokkai, a No.5 maegashira, slammed down No. 11 maegashira Kasugao to improve to 8-3. Kasugao slipped to 4-7.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two