Simeon Stankovich wins gold at 2026 World Sumo Championships in Azerbaijan

Simeon Stankovich (115 kg) won a title for Bulgaria at the Sumo World Championships 2026 in Azerbaijan. In the semifinals, he defeated Sulde Dongak of Kyrgyzstan, before beating Marcell Gyuricza of Hungary in the final to claim gold. Mihaela Hristova (65 kg), Stanislava Atanasova (80 kg) and Gabriela Spasova (60 kg) won bronze medals.

Stankovich is a Greco-Roman wrestler who has emerged as one of Bulgaria’s leading sumo wrestlers in recent years. Last year, he took silver at the Sumo World Championships, sportal.bg reports.

This is Bulgaria’s first world sumo title in 16 years. The last Bulgarian to win gold was Stiliyan Georgiev, who claimed the title in Warsaw in 2010.

Edited by Miglena Ivanova

Translated by Kostadin Atanasov