Grand champion Asashoryu brushed off a challenge from Aminishiki yesterday to maintain his perfect record after the third day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament.
Asashoryu, the only grand champion or yokozuna now competing in sumo -- Japan's national sport -- was calm when Aminishiki tried to sidestep at the faceoff in the day's final bout at Osaka Municipal Gymnasium.
The Mongolian grappler quickly grabbed Aminishiki's right arm, causing his opponent to lose his balance and forcing him over the ring's edge to improve to 3-0 while giving the third-ranked maegashira his second loss against one win.
PHOTO: AP
Ozeki Chiyotaikai downed Iwakiyama to improve to 3-0 at the 15-day tourney. Iwakiyama dropped to 1-2.
In other major bouts, ozeki Kaio picked up his second win against one loss by bulldozing Miyabiyama out in a matter of seconds, handing the komusubi wrestler his second loss against one win.
Ozeki Tochiazuma bounced back from a loss over Aminishiki on the second-day bout, when he charged low before grabbing the belt of second-ranked maegashira Hokutoriki and flipping him out over the raised straw ridge.
Tochiazuma, who won the New Year tournament held in Tokyo in January, is gunning to become the first Japanese yokozuna since Takanohana retired in 2003 and will need at least 12 wins here to be considered for promotion.
Kotooshu of Bulgaria also bounced back from a second-day loss over Miyabiyama when he threw down fourth-ranked maegashira, Futeno, near the ring's edge to pick up his second win against one loss. Futeno dropped to 1-2.
Earlier, sekiwake Hakuho quickly took hold of Russian Roho's belt with a left-hand grip soon after the faceoff, forcing him back and swatting down the komusubi grappler.
Hakuho of Mongolia, who is hoping for promotion to sumo's second-top rank of ozeki, improved to 3-1 while Roho fell to 0-3.
Hakuho would need at least 12 wins to move up a rank.
Sekiwake Kotomitsuki improved to 2-1 when he twisted down top-ranked Kokkai near the center of the ring, handing the wrestler from the former Soviet republic of Georgia his second loss.
On Monday, Tochiazuma was upset by a lower-ranked Aminishiki.
Tochiazuma, who won the New Year tournament in January, initially appeared to easily push Aminishiki backward but the No. 3 maegashira stood firm at the edge of the ring before twisting him down at the Osaka Municipal Gymnasium.
In the day's finale, Asashoryu posted his second win against no losses when he forced his Mongolian compatriot Ama out. No. 2 maegashira Ama fell to 1-1.
Kotooshu was handed his first defeat of the 15-day tourney by Miyabiyama, who improved to 1-1.
Taiwan’s Lee Hao-yu on Friday went 0-for-3 in his MLB debut for the Detroit Tigers against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, becoming the 19th Taiwan-born player to reach the big leagues. The Tigers ultimately lost 1-0 in 10 innings, ending their six-game winning streak. The 23-year-old started at third base and batted eighth for Detroit. He was promoted from Triple-A Toledo ahead of the four-game series against the Red Sox at the latter’s home stadium, replacing injured utility player Zach McKinstry. “Being right-handed, and given our schedule, I think six of the next 12 games are going to
When Paddy Dwyer arrived in China in 1976, crowds jostled to catch a glimpse of him and his companions — the first Western soccer team to play in the country. China was emerging from the chaos of the Cultural Revolution, and on the brink of market reforms that would take the country from economic stagnation to explosive growth. “All we could see was lines of people running beside our bus, trying to look in the windows, to see their first visual of a white person,” he said. “It was all bicycles,” he said. “There were very few cars to be seen.” Dwyer,
Matheus Cunha on Saturday fired Manchester United toward the UEFA Champions League with a 1-0 win at Chelsea, while Tottenham Hotspur remain in the relegation zone after twice blowing the lead to draw with Brighton & Hove Albion. Chelsea failed to take advantage of a United defense ravaged by injury and suspension as a fourth straight league defeat for the Blues left their Champions League hopes in ruins. United have missed out on the riches of Europe’s elite competition for the past two seasons, but are closing in on a return thanks to an upturn in fortunes under interim manager
A new NZ$683 million (US$404 million) stadium that was a symbol of Christchurch’s struggle to rebuild after a deadly earthquake struck the New Zealand city is to host its first match tomorrow in front of a sellout crowd. A magnitude 6.2 earthquake killed 185 people in February 2011 and toppled or damaged buildings, including the city’s old Lancaster Park. The stadium, which hosted international rugby and cricket, and was home to the Canterbury Crusaders, was badly damaged and never reopened. It was bulldozed in 2019 and turned into sports fields, leaving the Crusaders without a permanent home. Government funding for a new stadium was
RSS