TOKYO (Kyodo) — Slow and steady won the race Tuesday when Onosato foiled fellow sekiwake Kirishima’s tricky opening and forced him over the straw bales to take a two-win lead on the 10th day of the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament.
Kirishima (8-2) sprung to his left at the opening and tried to slap his opponent’s back as he charged forward. Onosato, however, was a split second slower than Kirishima anticipated, and the left-handed slap ineffectually found only an arm.
Dodging an opponent without trying to charge forward at the start of the bout, a tactic known as “henka” in Japanese, is not against sumo’s rules but is frowned upon.
For his part, Onosato rose to the challenge. Having missed his mark, Kirishima hesitated briefly while Onosato pivoted and turned on his opponent like a fury and forced the former ozeki from the ring at Tokyo’s Ryogoku Kokugikan.
Onosato now needs just two more wins in the five days remaining to meet the unofficial benchmark for ozeki promotion of 33 wins over three consecutive tournaments when a wrestler is either a komusubi or sekiwake.
The 24-year-old went 12-3 to win the May championship in his debut at komusubi and posted a 9-6 record in July in his sekiwake debut.
Kirishima fell back into the trailing pack, joining three maegashira wrestlers two wins off the pace, No. 7 Wakatakakage, No. 13 Nishikigi and former ozeki Takayasu, currently fighting as No. 15 maegashira.
Sumo: Kirishima dodges Onosato but cannot avoid 2nd loss
