JAPAN: Bulgarian sumo wrestler touted as Europe's No.1 ambassador to Japan

Record ID: 468242

  • Title: JAPAN: Bulgarian sumo wrestler touted as Europe's No.1 ambassador to Japan
  • Date: 14th December 2005
  • Summary: MATSUDO CITY, CHIBA PREFECTURE, JAPAN (DECEMBER 14, 2005) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF SADOGATAKE SUMO STABLE INTERIOR OF STABLE BULGARIAN SUMO WRESTLER KOTOOSHU PRACTICING BY HIMSELF AGAINST A POLE VISITORS WATCHING SUMO PRACTICE EU AMBASSADOR TO JAPAN BERNHARD ZEPTER (FOREGROUND) AND BULGARIAN AMBASSADOR TO JAPAN BALAGOVEST SENDOV (BESIDE ZEPTER) WATCHING PRACTICE KOTOOSHU AWAITING HIS TURN TO PRACTICE KOTOOSHU PRACTICING AGAINST A FELLOW WRESTLER KOTOOSHU THROWING OPPONENT EUROPEAN AMBASSADORS WATCHING THE PRACTICE SIGNBOARD SHOWING WRESTLERS' NAMES REGISTERED AT THE STABLES (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) KOTOOSHU'S STABLE MASTER MITSUMUNE SADOGATAKE SAYING: "It's just a matter of time that (Kotooshu) will be promoted to sumo's highest rank of yokozuna." KOTOOSHU GREETING AND SHAKING HANDS WITH AMBASSADORS AMBASSADORS CHAT WITH KOTOOSHU, GIVE HIM GIFTS ANOTHER SUMO WRESTLER HAVING HIS HAIR REDONE (SOUNDBITE) (English) BULGARIAN AMBASSADOR SENDOV SAYING: "Really, I'm very proud (of him). I've already said to my friends that I'd become ambassador number two because Kotooshu is ambassador number one. He's even ambassador number one for Europe." KOTOOSHU STANDING BEHIND JAPANESE WRESTLER (SOUNDBITE) (English) EU AMBASSADOR ZEPTER SAYING: "You can see in Japan (there have been) a lot of changes (surrounding sumo). People like Kotooshu. He's a fighter. He has good Japanese manners, I would say. He's good-looking, handsome and he's strong. And he is somebody who can challenge the dominance (of), in particular, Mongolia. So he's an interesting element in the Japanese discussion on sumo." TOKYO, JAPAN (FILE - 2004) (REUTERS) MONGOLIAN SUMO WRESTLER ASASHORYU DEMONSTRATING SUMO POSES AT A TOKYO SHRINE MATSUDO CITY, CHIBA PREFECTURE, JAPAN (DECEMBER 14, 2005) (REUTERS) KOTOOSHU HAVING HIS HAIR REDONE AFTER PRACTICE (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) KOTOOSHU SAYING: "I'm just playing my sport. If I'm helping open the door between Europe and Japan, it makes me feel even better." SUMO WRESTLERS EXERCISING IN GROUP
  • Embargoed: 29th December 2005 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVAF2TRPI0TB6BXF0LF7J06HVXD
  • Story Text: European ambassadors congratulated Bulgarian sumo
    wrestler Kotooshu (pronounced koh-toe-OH-shoe) on Wednesday
    (December 14) for his recently promotion to sumo's
    second-highest rank, and touted him as Europe's "No.1
    ambassador" to Japan.
    The ambassadors from the European Union and Bulgaria
    visited the 22-year-old Kaloyan Stefanov Mahlyanov, known
    as Kotooshu in Japan, at his sumo stable near Tokyo.
    The Bulgarian, the tallest grappler in the sport at
    04 metres (6 ft 8 in), has become the first European to rise to sumo's second-highest rank at a time when the
    ancient Japanese sport suffers from a decline in popularity
    at home.
    Kotooshu, which means "European harp" in Japanese, has
    become something of a national sensation in Japan, not only
    due to his performance in the ring but also because of his
    good looks, which have earned him the nickname "Beckham of
    Sumo".
    "It's just a matter of time that (Kotooshu) will be
    promoted to sumo's highest rank of yokozuna," Kotooshu's
    stable master Mitsumune Sadogatake told Reuters.
    The highest status currently belongs to Mongolian
    wrestler, Asashoryu (ah-sah-SHOW-ryu).
    On Wednesday, the ambassadors from Europe brought
    Kotooshu some good old fashion European presents: bottles
    of French champagne and Bulgarian wine, along with a "Euro
    Kitty" cell phone strap.
    "Really, I'm very proud (of him). I've already said to
    my friends that I'd become ambassador number two because
    Kotooshu is ambassador number one. He's even ambassador
    number one for Europe," Bulgarian Ambassador To Japan
    Balagovest Sendov said.
    Bernhard Zepter, the European Union's Ambassador to
    Japan, said: "You can see in Japan (there have been) a lot
    of changes (surrounding sumo). People like Kotooshu. He's a
    fighter. He has good Japanese manners, I would say. He's
    good-looking, handsome and he's strong. And he is somebody
    who can challenge the dominance (of), in particular,
    Mongolia. So he's an interesting element in the Japanese
    discussion on sumo."
    The EU ambassador was referring to Asashoryu who now is
    the Bulgarian's arch rival. The Mongolian reigns supreme at
    the top echelon of "yokozuna" and has recently made history
    by winning seven consecutive tournaments.
    However Kotooshu says his new title as the unofficial
    European and Bulgarian ambassador to Japan worth the effort
    if it helps open doors to other athletes back home.
    "I'm just playing my sport. If I'm helping open the
    door between Europe and Japan, it makes me feel even
    better," Kotooshu told Reuters after the day's practice.
    Japanese TV shows have run specials on him, portraying
    the 143 kg (315 lb) wrestler as being strong enough to
    crush an apple with only one hand, but also as a shy
    youngster with a sensitive side.
    Making his debut in 2002, Kotooshu became the quickest
    wrestler to reach the second-highest rank of "ozeki" He
    finished a tournament that ended on Sunday with a record of
    11 wins -- including a victory over grand champion
    Asashoryu -- and four losses.
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