Sumo Star Wins Laurels

Bulgaria's Sports Minister Vassil Ivanov awarded Tuesday the best Bulgarian sumo wrestler Kaloyan Mahlyanov (Kotooshu) for high sports achievements.

The ceremony took place in the Rodina hall of the National Stadium "Vassil Levski" in Sofia.

The 22-year old wrestler competed last week in the Second Spring Osaka Grand Sumo Tournament, winning the prestigious Emperor's Cup.

Mahlyanov is considered as the first European to enter the Japanese Sumo elite - the sanyaki ranks.

His rise to sanyaku is one of the quickest since sumo switched to a six-tournament system in 1958, according to Japanese media.

Mahlyanov is often regarded as "Bulgaria's most famous export after yoghurt."