Newly promoted grand champion Hakuho of Mongolia rallied to a solid win over lower-ranked Wakanosato yesterday and remained unbeaten on the third day of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament.
In the day's penultimate bout at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium, Hakuho easily beat Wakanosato by throwing him him onto the dirt surface. The yokozuka improved to 3-0, while Wakanosato remains winless.
The 22-year-old Hakuho was promoted to grand champion in May, becoming the fourth non-Japanese to reach sumo's highest rank. Hakuho earned promotion after winning both the spring and summer tournaments this year and is off to a strong start in his debut at the sport's highest rank.
In other major bouts, grand champion Asashoryu improved to 2-1 when he muscled second maegashira Dejima out of the ring without giving him a chance to put up any resistance. Dejima fell to 1-2.
Asashoryu is gunning for his 21st Emperor's Cup.
Bulgarian wrestler Kotooshu flung third-ranked maegashira Takekaze down with a right-hand grip to pick up his second win against one loss. Takekaze is winless.
Russian Roho upset ozeki Chiyotaikai in a rematch to improve to 3-0, while handing the ozeki his first loss against two wins. In the initial bout, ringside judges ruled that both Roho and Chiyotaikai simultaneously fell.
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