[spoiler] Day 04 Mainichi Daily News

[<sashimaru@tachiai.net>]

Hello sumofans,

the coverage of day two in the Mainichi Daily News:
http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/sports/sumo/index.html  
 
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Musashimaru, Tochiazuma eat dirt



 
By Greg Mettam
Staff Writer

July 10, 2002
 


   
Mainichi Shimbun  

Tochinonada (rear) pushes the Moose down into the dirt.
 
 
Yokozuna Musashimaru and Ozeki Tochiazuma fell to shock first losses on
Wednesday, the fourth day of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament. 
When the cushions stopped flying at the Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium,
Chiyotaikai, Asashoryu, and lower ranked Takanonami, Buyuzan, and
Tochisakae were left sharing the undefeated lead. 

Tipped to win a third straight title, Musashimaru looked in total
control as he initially shut down Tochinonada with his favored belt grip
and marched him toward the edge in a slow death march. But Tochinonada
refused to crumble and tiptoed the rope before tugging the off-balanced
yokozuna down for his first loss. 

Tochiazuma was also suckered into a battle on the belt and paid the
price. 

Although the ozeki denied Takanowaka a belt hold, Takanowaka gave his
higher-ranked rival no space to work in and outlasted Tochiazuma with a
stubborn display of strength and stamina. 

Ozeki Chiyotaikai was all business as he denied Miyabiyama a first
victory with a powerful thrusting attack. 

Miyabiyama tried to get in on the belt, but Chiyotaikai held him off
with some well-aimed throat thrusts before sending his fierce foe
barreling into the dirt with some spirited shoves. 

Perhaps Kotonowaka was hypnotized by Mongolian magician Asashoryu as the
1.91-meter top ranked maegashira sleep walked toward his opponent at
tachia, bounced back and marched straight out of the ring for a soft
third defeat. 

Unpredictable Kyokushuzan's miserable tournament continued when he
crashed to his fourth straight loss this time offering little resistance
in a lame clash with Sekiwake Wakanosato. 

Desperate Dejima learnt little from his clumsy loss to Tochiazuma on
Tuesday, once again falling on his face after getting caught stretching
too low against Tosanoumi. 

Despite dominating the bout from the jump, Dejima's overanxious attempts
to bury Tosanoumi into the dirt robbed the former ozeki of a much-needed
third win. 

A patient Kotomitsuki gave his local fans a fright, but managed to
escape from Kaiho to notch his third win of the tourney. 

Standing well back at the jump, Kotomitsuki waited for Kaiho to come to
him and looked in trouble as he backpedaled toward the rope. However
Kaiho's aggression proved his undoing and as the maegashira No. 4 surged
ahead smelling victory, Kotomitsuki slid along the rope and yanked him
down for his third loss. 

Hapless Takamisakari, winless heading into Wednesday's bouts, needed a
lucky break to post his first victory and he got it when ailing ozeki
Kaio, winless after three bouts, was forced to withdraw from the event
with torn ligaments in his left shoulder.

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Happy tachiai
sashimaru