PARIS - Ozeki Kotozakura defeated yokozuna Hoshoryu in a playoff Sunday to be crowned the champion of the Japan Sumo Association's two-day exhibition tournament in Paris.
The competition comprised two single-day tournaments featuring wrestlers from the elite makuuchi division, with Kotozakura winning Saturday and Hoshoryu prevailing Sunday before facing off to determine the overall champion.
Mongolian-born grand champion Hoshoryu had beaten Kotozakura in Sunday's semifinals before clinching the final against komusubi Takayasu by force out.
The other yokozuna, Onosato, lost to third-round opponent Daieisho by thrust down.
The event at Paris' Accor Arena marked the sumo association's 15th overseas tour and its first since last October's London exhibition. The French capital previously hosted sumo tournaments in 1986 and 1995.
The 130-strong traveling party including wrestlers, stablemasters and officials will return to Japan in two separate groups on Wednesday and Thursday.
