Musashimaru on rise

TOKYO -- Ozeki (champion) Musashimaru recovered from a shaky start to push lower-ranked Takatoriki out of the ring today, leaving both in a four-way tie for the lead on the 10th day of the 15-day Summer Grand Sumo Tournament.

Kotonishiki and ozeki Wakanohana tied them at 8-2 with victories today.

Takatoriki looked as if he might be able to keep the sole lead, knocking Musashimaru off balance soon after the opening thrust. But Musashimaru, or Fiamalu Penitani from Hawaii, regained his footing, spun the smaller wrestler around and pushed him out from behind.

Yokozuna (grand champion) Akebono, or Chad Rowan from Hawaii, improved to 7-3 by pushing out Oginishiki.

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Akebono wins; daughter born

TOKYO, May 19 (Kyodo) - Akebono, whose fiancee gave birth to their first child, a baby girl, Tuesday morning, edged out No. 3 maegashira Oginishiki while Takanonami used the same traditional move against sekiwake Kaio.

Mongolian No. 13 maegashira Kyokushuzan picked up his second straight win following three consecutive losses as he twisted down No. 11 maegashira Dejima, leaving both wrestlers at 7-3.

Ozeki Musashimaru knocked pacesetter Takatoriki off the raised ring Tuesday, handing the No. 5 maegashira his second straight loss and grabbing a share of a four-way tie for the lead in the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament.

Ozeki Wakanohana and No. 2 maegashira Kotonishiki both won to also stand in front of the field with 8-2 records after the 10th day of the 15-day meet at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan.

Meanwhile, yokozuna Takanohana tumbled to his second consecutive defeat and trails with a 7-3 mark.

Musashimaru maintained his balance after Takatoriki tried to sidestep the Hawaii-born giant's charge and then chased the smallish maegashira to the edge of the ring before throwing him out from behind. Both wrestlers sport 8-2 marks.

Wakanohana reactivated his campaign for promotion to yokozuna as he collected his eighth win, making nothing of Musoyama's early shoving attacks and marching the sekiwake out to his eighth loss.

The energetic ozeki from the Futagoyama stable could still earn sumo's highest rank with a second straight Emperor's Cup following his championship at the spring tourney in March.

In a battle of wrestlers with identical 7-2 records, Kotonishiki, who chipped a bone in his right heel when he slapped Takatoriki down to his first loss Monday, flattened komusubi Akinoshima by the back of the belt.

No. 6 maegashira Shikishima, 6-4, notched a win over Takanohana for a second straight meet as he clamped down hard on the grand champion's elbows and then dumped him outside the ring.

''I really didn't think I could win today. But the only way I had a chance was by locking my opponent's elbow so I did it with all my might with the image of breaking the yokozuna's arms,'' said Shikishima, who is now 2-0 against Takanohana.

Joining Takanohana in the chase pack at 7-3 are fellow yokozuna Akebono, ozeki Takanonami and four other grapplers.

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