Russian wrestler, once world's heaviest child, dies aged 21

Dzhambulat Khatokhov [Photo: Courtesy]

Russian sumo wrestler Dzhambulat Khatokhov, who entered the Guinness World Records as the world's heaviest child in 2003, has died at the age of 21, sports officials in his native region said.

Betal Gubzhev, head of the body governing sumo wrestling in the southern Kabardino-Balkaria region, announced Khatokhov's death on Instagram on Tuesday but did not disclose its cause.

The Komsomolskaya Pravda tabloid reported that Khatokhov had suffered from kidney problems.

As a two-year-old, Khatokhov weighed about 34 kilogrammes (75 lbs) and weighed in at around 180 kilogrammes (397 lbs) when he was 13, according to Russian media.

Wrestling is popular in Russia's North Caucasus area, including in the regions of Kabardino-Balkaria, Chechnya and Dagestan. 

Khatokhov (Right) suffered from kidney problems. [Photo: Courtesy]