The Japan Sumo Association approved the promotion of Bulgarian wrestler Kotooshu to ozeki on Wednesday, making him the first European to reach the sport's second-highest rank.
Bulgarian Kotooshu celebrates becoming the first-ever European to gain promotion to the sumo rank of ozeki with some young wrestlers from his Sadogatake stable.
Kotooshu's promotion was endorsed unanimously by the JSA executives and officials who worked on the rankings for the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament in January. The 22-year-old is the fifth foreign-born ozeki and the first wrestler to earn ozeki promotion since Asashoryu in July 2002.
"I am pleased to accept (the promotion). I will train vigorously to live up to my position as ozeki," Kotooshu said to the officials the JSA sent to his Sadogatake stable in Fukuoka to convey the decision.