Mongolia's Asashoryu was promoted Wednesday to the highest rank in Japan's ancient sport of sumo, becoming the first from his country and only the third foreign-born wrestler ever to achieve that lofty status.
![News photo](/images/photos2003/ss20030130a1a.jpg)
Dressed in traditional Japanese kimono and wearing his hair in a samurai-style top-knot, Asashoryu bowed deeply before sumo officials to accept the honor in an early morning ceremony at Tokyo's Kokugikan sumo arena.