J2 – Troisième kinboshi pour Okinoumi

Ozeki Kisenosato got his latest bid for promotion to yokozuna back on track with victory over komusubi Tochiozan at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Monday.

Stunned by top-ranked maegashira Okinoumi on the opening day of the 15-day basho on Sunday, Kisenosato set himself up for a comfortable win at Ryogoku Kokugikan, grabbing Tochiozan (1-1) by the throat before shoving him over the straw ridge.

Kisenosato, who gained a measure of revenge for his defeat to Tochiozan at the Nagoya tourney in July, is making his fourth run at promotion to grand champion.

He has been charged by the Yokozuna Deliberation Council with seizing an elusive first championship in order to finally reach the top rung of the sumo ladder.

That task has possibly eased somewhat in the wake of the injury-enforced withdrawal of Mongolian yokozuna and 37-time title winner Hakuho.

In other key bouts, Harumafuji (2-0), who is seeking back-to-back titles after winning the Nagoya meet, got a scare but took out No. 1 maegashira Yoshikaze (1-1) in an explosive encounter.

Fellow Mongolian yokozuna Kakuryu, who missed the majority of the Nagoya meet with lower back pain, crashed to a second defeat at the hands of Okinoumi (2-0).

Also in the upper ranks, Kotoshogiku, his rank on the line for the sixth time, got the second of eight wins he needs to stay at ozeki for the next tournament in Kyushu in November, bundling out second-ranked Georgian maegashira Tochinoshin.

Goeido, another « kadoban » ozeki needing a winning record, was equally imperious in his bout against Shodai, forcing out the second-ranked maegashira to also make it two wins out of two.

Hampered by injuries to both knees in recent months, Mongolian ozeki Terunofuji picked up his first win by toppling Brazilian-born komusubi Kaisei (0-2).

Sekiwake Takayasu prevailed in a slapfest against fourth-ranked maegashira Myogiryu to pick up his first win on his debut at sumo’s third-highest rank, but Takarafuji (0-2), another newly promoted sekiwake, was outmuscled by third-ranked maegashira Takanoiwa (2-0).

In earlier bouts, 13th-ranked Amakaze bounced back from his opening-day defeat to fellow makuuchi-division newcomer Chiyoshoma with an oshidashi win over 14th-ranked Endo (1-1).

Twelfth-ranked Chiyoshoma (2-0) beat winless No. 13 maegashira Toyohibiki (0-2) with a pulling overarm throw.

Written by Kyodo