Japan's Saori Yoshida has won the last two World titles at this division and comes in as a heavy favorite. The two previous World titles at this weight were won by Seiko Yamamoto of Japan, who was beaten by Yoshida in the Japan Olympic Trials. Clearly, Japan has dominated this weight class and has high expectations for a gold medal in Athens.    The athlete she defeated in the world finals both years will not be competing, as Tina George of the United States was beaten in the U.S. Trials. Yoshida beat George by a comfortable margin in the 2002 World finals, but George closed the gap in 2003. The U.S. entry will be young Tela O'Donnell, who made her first U.S. team. O'Donnell has shown flashes of great wrestling, such as a victory at the Yarygin Tournament in Russia this year, but she has the least experience of the U.S. athletes. O'Donnell has a wide open, unexpected style, and showed her abilities by pinning George twice to make the Olympic team in Indianapolis.    Russia's Natalia Golts was third at the 2002 and 2003 World Championships, and is one of the top talents in the world. Her loss at the 2003 World meet was to Yoshida, and she has scored wins against many of the other top competitors. Russia has many talents in this division, including Natalia Ivashko and Natalya Karamchakova, but most expect that Golts will be the choice for the Olympics.    China's Sun Dongmei was fourth at the 2003 World Championships and was seventh in the 2001 World meet. China's entry could be Yanzhi Gao, who captured the gold medal at the Olympic Testing Tournament in Athens, Greece this winter against a strong field of competitors. Yanzhi was third in the 1999 and 2001 World Championships at 51 kg/112.25 lbs. (a non-Olympic weight).    You have to go back to 1999 to find a non-Japanese World champion here, France's Anna Gomis, who has four World titles to her credit. Gomis qualified to compete in the Olympics by winning the gold medal at the final Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Her seventh place finish at the 2003 World Championships makes her a bit of a longshot, especially this late in her career. France could choose to enter Vanessa Boubryemm, who competed at the 2004 European Championships and the 2002 World Championships at this division, and placed sixth at the 2001 World Championships down at 51 kg.    Sweden will be represented by 2002 World bronze medalist Ida Theres Karlsson, a veteran who can win when she is competing well. Karlsson won the 2004 European Championships, which should give her confidence going into Athens. Karlsson was second behind Gomis at the second Olympic Qualifying Tournament.    Canada brings Tonya Verbeek, who beat veteran Jen Ryz in the Canadian Olympic Trials. Verbeek has paid her dues. She defeated American O'Donnell at the Titan Games, and also added a gold medal at the Canada Cup in preparation for the Olympics. She earned the final spot in the Olympics, taking third at the last Olympic Qualifying event. Verbeek was third at the Olympic Testing Event in Athens this winter, competing against a strong international field.    Another tough athlete from North America is Mabel Fonseca of Puerto Rico, who placed fifth at the 2003 World Championships. Fonseca is a former U.S. Nationals champion who chose to represent Puerto Rico on the international level. Fonseca was third in the 2002 World Championships at 59 kg/130 lbs., but chose to drop down to compete at an Olympic weight division.    Lee Na-Lae of Korea has become a top contender in this division. She placed second behind Icho at the 2004 Asian Championships, and won a gold medal at the first Olympic Qualification Tournament. Lee also boasts a fourth-place finish at the 2001 World Championships.    2001 World bronze medalist Tatiana Lazereva of Ukraine has also emerged as a tough competitor in this weight. She won a silver medal at the 2004 European Championships, and qualified for Athens by placing third at the first Olympic Qualification Tournament.    American wrestling fans may remember Diletta Giampicolla of Italy, who won a gold medal this year at the New York AC Christmas International, with wins over Goerge and O'Donnell. She trained with the U.S. athletes during parts of this season. She earned her trip to the Olympics with a silver medal at the first Olympic Qualifying Tournament.     The final qualifier for the weight class comes from host Greece, but is a serious competitor. Sofia Poumbouridou won a World gold medal at 51 kg/112.25 lbs. when the World Championships were held in Chalkida, Greece. She would love to win another medal competing on the home mats in Athens. Poumbouridou was fifth at the 2004 European Championships. Another option for Greece is Konstantina Tsimpanakou, who was fourth in the 2002 World Championships.    Nations qualified (alphabetically): Canada, China, France, Greece, Italy, Japan, Korea, Puerto Rico, Russia, Sweden, Ukraine, United States    Past gold medalists expected in field: Saori Yoshida of Japan (2003, 2002), Sofia Poumbouridou of Greece (2002), Anna Gomis of France (1999, 1997, 1996, 1993)    Top World-level placement for Tela O'Donnell: first U.S. team    55 kg/121 lbs. - Women  1st at 2003 World Championships - Japan (Saori Yoshida)  2nd at 2003 World Championships - United States (Tela O'Donnell)  3rd at 2003 World Championships - Russia (Natalia Golts or Natalya Ivashko)  4th at 2003 World Championships - China (Sun Dongmei or Yanzhi Gao)  5th at 2003 World Championships - Puerto Rico (Mabel Fonseca)  Host Nation entry - Greece (Sofia Poumpouridou or Konstantina Tsimpanakou)  1st at Olympic Qualifier #1 - Korea (Lee Na-Lae)  2nd at Olympic Qualifier #1- Italy (Diletta Giampiccolo)  3rd at Olympic Qualifier #1 -Ukraine (Tatiana Lazareva)  1st at Olympic Qualifier #2 - France (Anna Gomis or Vanessa Boubryemm)  2nd at Olympic Qualifier #2 -Sweden (Ida-Theres Karlsson)  3rd at Olympic Qualifier #2 -Canada (Tonya Verbeek)    RECENT WORLD RESULTS    2003 World Championship results  55 kg/121 lbs. - Gold - Saori Yoshida (Japan) dec. Tina George (United States), 5-2; Bronze - Natalia Golts (Russia) dec. Sun Dongmei (China), 4-0; 5th - Mabel Fonseca (Puerto Rico); 6th - Jennifer Ryz (Canada); 7th - Anna Gomis (France); 8th - Marzi Andrade (Venezuela); 9th - Monika Michalik (Poland); 10th - Tatyana Lazareya (Ukraine)    2002 World Championships results  121 - 1st - Saori Yoshida (Japan) dec. Tina George (USA), 10-4; 3rd - Ida Theres Karlsson (Sweden) dec. Konstantina Tsibanakou (Greece), 7-1; 5th - Jen Ryz (Canada); 6th - Kitti Godo (Hungary); 7th - Monika Michalik (Poland); 8th - Viktoria Zagainova (Russia); 9th - Nadine Tokar (Switzerland); 10th - Isabelle Sambou (Senegal)    2001 World Championships results  56 kg/123.25 lbs. - Gold - Seiko Yamamoto (Japan) dec. Liubov Volosova (Russia), 4-1; Bronze - Tetiana Lazarova (Ukraine) dec. Lee Na Lae (Korea), 5-2; 5th - Sara Eriksson (Sweden); 6th -  Yildirim Zeynep (Turkey); 7th - Sun Dongmei (China); 8th -  Gudrun Hoie (Norway); 9th - Anna Gomis (France); 10th - Yoselin Rojas (Venezuela)    2000 World Championships results  56 kg/123.25 lbs. - Gold - Seiko Yamamoto (Japan); Silver - Tatiana Lazareva (Ukraine); Bronze - Jennifer Ryz (Canada); 4th - Salma Ferchichi (Tunisia); 5th - Mabel Fonseca (Puerto Rico); 6th - Sara Eriksson (Sweden); 7th - Yulianny Orellana (Venezuela); 8th - Minerva Montero (Spain); 9th - Kostantina Katerina Tsibanakou (Greece); 10th -  Natalja Ivachko (Russia)