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Mongolian Hakuho posts perfect 15-0 record at Nagoya sumo

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AP



NAGOYA, July 27  : Grand champion Hakuho was perfect at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament.
Two days after clinching his seventh Emperor’s Cup, Mongolian Hakuho defeated Bulgarian Kotooshu on the final day Sunday to finish the tournament with a flawless 15-0 record.
In the day’s final bout at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium, Hakuho was pushed back to the edge by ozeki Kotooshu but used a well-timed arm throw to send his opponent toppling off the raised ring.
“Nagoya is the only place I’ve never won a title and to do it here with a perfect record is very satisfying,” said Hakuho, who won the title with a perfect record for the first time.
Mongolian Grand Champion Hakuho, left,  topples Bulgarian Kotooshu off the ring at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium in Nagoya, central Japan, on Sunday July 27 , on the final day of Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament.  Hakuho won the tournament with 15-0 record.  (AP Photo)
Kotooshu, who came into the tournament hoping for promotion to grand champion, finished with a sub-par 9-6 record, far short of the requirements to move up to sumo’s highest rank. With fellow Mongolian and grand champion Asashoryu out with injuries, Hakuho was the odds-on favorite to win the Nagoya meet and lived up to the expectations.
In other major bouts, Kotomitsuki finished his strong showing with a one-sided win over fellow ozeki Kaio.
Kotomitsuki spun Kaio around shortly after the faceoff and shoved him out to improve to 11-4. Kaio fell to a 9-6 record.
Estonian Baruto, a No. 5 maegashira, forced out Mongolian sekiwake Ama as both wrestlers finished with solid 10-5 records.
Komusubi Toyonoshima closed out the Nagoya meet with an impressive win over ozeki Chiyotaikai to finish with a 10-5 record. Chiyotaikai dropped to 9-6 but that’s good enough to hold on to his ozeki status for the next tournament.
Toyonoshima won the tournament’s Outstanding Performance Prize while Ama took the Technique Prize. No. 13 maegashira Toyohibiki, who finished with a 10-5 record, won the Fighting Spirit Prize.    


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