He is possibly sumo's brightest rising star, just one step away from the ancient sport's top rank. He's the first European ever to make it so far and -- at 204cm tall and weighing a beefy 144kg -- he truly looks the part.
But Bulgarian sumo champion Kotooshu has a confession to make.
"It's true, as a child I did like baking cakes," he said yesterday. "But now I am totally focused on my training."
PHOTO: AFP
Japan's homegrown wrestlers may wish he stayed by the oven.
Kotooshu is one of a growing number of foreign-born fighters who have put a stranglehold on Japan's national sport, dominating the top positions, winning virtually all of the yearly titles and shoving the local talent out of the spotlight.
The coveted rank of yokozuna, or grand champion, is now held by Mongolia's Asashoryu -- who has won eight of the past nine tournaments. Two of the five wrestlers in the sport's second-highest rank of ozeki, or champion, are also foreigners -- Kotooshu and newly promoted Hakuho, another Mongolian.
Though the foreign stars have devoted followings of fans and have energized the ring with their strength and speed, the failure of Japanese wrestlers to provide much competition has generated a good deal of hand-wringing in the Japan Sumo Association, which oversees the professional sport.
Ticket sales have been declining, it is becoming harder for sumo to find young recruits and TV ratings have fallen significantly compared with a decade or so ago, when Japanese were still more of a factor in the six annual tournaments.
Hopes of a Japanese revival were boosted before the most recent tournament, last month, but were then dashed when ozeki Tochiazuma placed third behind Asashoryu and Hakuho. Kotooshu, coming off an injury, finished the 15-day tournament with a mediocre 9-6 record.
"I think the popularity of sumo is recovering compared with a year or so ago," said Sadogatake, a former wrestler who runs the "stable" where Kotooshu trains. "But it will be hard without the rise of a strong Japanese wrestler."
Sadogatake added, however, that he believes the number of foreigners in the sport now is about right -- each stable is limited to having just one on its roster, for about 60 altogether.
"That rule was suggested by my predecessor, so I can't say anything about it," Sadogatake quipped during a luncheon at the Foreign Correspondent's Club of Japan.
Kotooshu -- born Mahlyanov Kaloyan Stefanov -- had no comment on the impact of foreigners like himself, saying only that he is happy to be competing.
The 24-year-old has risen up the sumo ranks faster than any wrestler before him, reaching champion status in just over three years. He is a sought-after personality on TV commercials and has been named a goodwill ambassador for the EU, which Bulgaria is to join next year.
Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw on Friday joined their Los Angeles Dodgers teammates in sticking their fists out to show off their glittering World Series rings at a ceremony. “There’s just a lot of excitement, probably more than I can ever recall with the Dodger fan base and our players,” manager Dave Roberts said before Los Angeles rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-5 in 10 innings. “What a way to cap off the first two days of celebrations,” Roberts said afterward. “By far the best opening week I’ve ever experienced. I just couldn’t have scripted it any better.” A choir in the
The famously raucous Hong Kong Sevens are to start today in a big test for a shiny new stadium at the heart of a major US$3.85 billion sports park in the territory. Officials are keeping their fingers crossed that the premier event in Hong Kong’s sporting and social calendar goes off without a hitch at the 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium. They hope to entice major European soccer teams to visit in the next few months, with reports in December last year saying that Liverpool were in talks about a pre-season tour. Coldplay are to perform there next month, all part of Hong Kong’s
Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman on Thursday smashed home runs to give the reigning World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-4 victory over Detroit on the MLB’s opening day in the US. The Dodgers, who won two season-opening games in Tokyo last week, raised their championship banner on a day when 28 clubs launched the season in the US. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shuffled his batting lineup with all four leadoff hitters finally healthy as Ohtani was followed by Mookie Betts, then Hernandez and Freddie Freeman in the cleanup spot, switching places with Hernandez. “There’s a Teoscar tax to
Matvei Michkov did not score on Monday, but the Philadelphia rookie had a hand in both goals as hosts the Flyers earned a 2-1 victory over the Nashville Predators. Ryan Poehling and Jamie Drysdale got the goals for the Flyers (31-36-9, 71 points), who won their third straight. Michkov and Travis Konecny assisted on both. Ivan Fedotov stopped 28 shots to earn his first win since March 1, ending a personal six-game losing streak. Zachary L’Heureux got the lone goal for Nashville. Michael McCarron and Brady Skjei got the assists for the Predators (27-39-8, 62 points), who have just four goals in their