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Sumo: Kotoshogiku (picture, right) became Japan’s first sumo champion in a decade after victory in the New Year Grand Tournament yesterday. The 31-year-old overpowered fellow Goeido to become the first Japanese wrestler to win an Emperor’s Cup since Tochiazuma’s 2006 triumph. Kotoshogiku went into the final day of the 15-day contest needing a win to secure his victory over Mongolian Hakuho, a 35-times champion, and long-time friend Toyonoshima. The wrestler from Fukuoka achieved that in style, thrusting Goeido down to clinch the title with a 14-1 record.
Rugby Union: Johnny Sexton, the conductor of Ireland’s back-to-back Six Nations triumphs, is an injury worry for this season’s tournament after again suffering concussion in Leinster’s Champions Cup defeat by Wasps on Saturday. What should have been a day of celebration for the 30-year-old, named Leinster captain for the first time on his 100th start, ended with fresh concerns over his susceptibility to concussion just a fortnight before Ireland open their Six Nations defence against Wales.
Cycling: Italian Adriano Malori, individual time-trial runner-up at last year’s world cham-pionships, is in a “stable condition” after crashing at the Tour de San Luis in Argentina. A doctor said yesterday that Malori was in intensive care but that his condition had improved in the first 24 hours since he was taken to San Luis hospital on Friday. The Movistar team rider was involved in a massive pile-up due to a pothole on the road 30 kilometres from the finish of the fifth stage.
Boxing: Danny Garcia overcame a sluggish start to win a unanimous decision over Robert Guerrero at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles and claim the WBC welterweight title vacated by Floyd Mayweather Jr. With Mayweather, who retired in September, sitting ringside, Garcia (32-0) took control from the middle rounds and was awarded the decision 116-112 by all three judges. “I’m back where I belong. I am now a two-division world champion,” said Garcia, who also holds the WBC super lightweight belt.
Tennis: Simona Halep is to have an operation on her nose after an illness-plagued start to the year which ended with a first-round exit from the Australian Open last week. The Romanian will skip this month’s Fed Cup match against the Czech Republic and tournaments in Dubai and Doha but hopes to be back on court to defend her title at Indian Wells in March.
Rallying: Sebastien Ogier won the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally for the third year in a row for Volkswagen yesterday. The Frenchman, who also won the final power stage for three bonus points, finished one minute and 54.5 seconds clear of team-mate Andreas Mikkelsen with Thierry Neuville third for Hyundai. Ogier had started the final leg through the snow and ice of the French Alps with a lead of nearly two minutes and he maintained that comfortably through the final three stages.