The reigning World champion is Artur Taymazov of Uzbekistan, who was also a World silver medalist in 2001 and an Olympic silver medalist in 2000. He is a big, strong and talented athlete, who has been near the top of every tournament he has wrestled in since his big breakthrough at the Sydney Olympics. The only blemish in his streak was an eighth place finish at the 2002 World Championships. Taymazov beat veteran American Kerry McCoy in the 2003 World finals in New York City, a match that went down to the clinch in overtime.     McCoy has paid his dues and moved up the ladder in this division, including a fifth-place finish in the 2000 Olympics where his loss came to Taymazov in a wild high-scoring bout. McCoy finished fourth in the World on two occasions. He has won many other major events, including the Pan American Games and the World Cup. The only member of the U.S. Olympic team in freestyle who has been to the Olympic before, McCoy is a leader. He moves well for a heavyweight, has vast experience and hopes to finish his career with a gold medal in Athens.     A major force in this division has come from Russia, led by 2000 Olympic champion David Musulbes, who followed the win in Sydney with World gold medals in 2001 and 2002. It was Musulbes who found ways to beat Taymazov in two World-level finals bouts.     In 2003, the Russian entry at the World Championships was another former World champion, Kuramagomed Kuramagomedov, who was defeated by Taymazov in the pools. Kuramagomedov reportedly beats Musulbes and may be the choice for the Athens Games.  Kuramagomedov beat McCoy at the 2003 World Cup, and has wins over many of the other top heavyweights. He was second at the 2004 European Championships. He is a small super heavyweight, having wrestled much of his career down a weight division.    Another World champion in the mix is Cuba's Alexis Rodriguez, who claimed his World title in 1998 and added an Olympic bronze medal in 2000. Rodriguez was also second in the 2001 World Championships and third in the 2002 World meet. He has a big rivalry with McCoy, who pinned Rodriguez in their last battle at the Pan American Games. Rodriguez did not wrestle in the 2003 World Championships, so he had to enter the first Olympic Qualifying Tournament, where he won the gold medal. He has tremendous talent and is a threat to win every tournament he enters. For example, he won the eight-athlete Yarygin Cup for prize money in Russia in late 2003.    The 2002 World bronze medalist was Turkey's Aydin Polatci, who is fresh off of winning the 2004 European Championships gold medal. Polatci was 11th in the 2003 World Championships, but qualified for the Olympics because a wrestler from Greece was in the top 10. He was also fifth at the 1998 and 1999 World Championships.     Iran boasts the 2003 World bronze medalist, Ali Reza Rezaii, who had his best career finish in New York City. He took over the spot after the retirement of Iranian legend Abbas Jadidi, who last wrestled at the World Championships in 2001.    Among those who have been close winning a World medal are fourth-place finishers Serhii Priadun of Ukraine (2003) and David Otiashvili of Georgia (2002). Priadun won a bronze medal at the 2004 European Championships, while Otiashvili placed sixth at the Europeans. Georgia qualified for the Olympic Games in this division when Aleksi Modebadze placed eighth at the 2003 World meet in New York City. Placing sixth at the 2003 World Championships, with a chance to challenge for a medal this year, was Marid Mutalimov of Kazakhstan.    Efsathios Topalidis of Greece finished an impressive fifth at the 2003 World Championships, giving the host nation a top hopeful for the Olympic Games. Topalidis was a participant in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. Greece might also consider Stamatis Giagis, who competed in the 2004 European Championships.    Other athletes who qualified their nations for the Olympics in this division by placing in the top 10 in New York City were Boris Hrinkovich of Belarus (seventh), Otto Aubeli of Hungary (ninth) and Gelgjamts Usukhbayar of Mongolia (10th).  Hrinkovich was also 10th in both the 2001 and 2002 World Championships. Aubeli placed fifth in the 2002 World meet.    Boyadjiev Bojidar of Bulgaria has been a consistent presence in this division. He was sixth in the 2001 World Championships and ninth in the 2002 World Championships. Bojidar did not place in the 2003 World meet, so he earned his qualifying spot by winning the second Olympic Qualification Tournament. His ninth place finish at the 2004 European Championships was a bit disappointing.    Veteran Sven Thiele of Germany, a 1995 World silver medalist, is still in the hunt at this division, as evidenced by his fourth place finish at the 2004 European Championships. Thiele placed in the top 10 in the world every season between 1995-1999. Germany could also consider Marcus Hamman, who was seventh in the 2002 World meet.    Poland qualified for this weight class when veteran Marek Garmulewicz placed fourth at the first Olympic Qualification Tournament. For many years, Garmulewicz was a World-class star at 97 kg, including a World silver medal in 1998. Poland might also consider Radoslaw Jankowski, who was fifth at the 2004 European Championships.    Also earning a spot for their nation in the field here through the Olympic Qualification Tournaments were Francesco Miano of Italy, Palwinder Singh of India, Rares Chintoan of Romania and Yuri Meldzihov of Kyrgyzstan. Singh has the best finish in this year's Continental Championships, winning a silver medal at the 2004 Asian Championships. Chintoan was eighth and Miano was 10th at the European Championships this year.    Nations qualified (alphabetically): Belarus, Bulgaria, Cuba, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Iran, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, United States, Uzbekistan,    Past gold medallists expected in field: Artur Taymazov of Uzbekistan (2003), David Musulbes of Russia (2000, 2001, 2002), Alexis Rodriguez of Cuba (1998), Kuramagomed Kuramagomedov of Russia (1997)    Top World-level placement for Kerry McCoy: 2nd (2003)    120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Freestyle  1st at 2003 World Championships - Uzbekistan (Artur Taymazov)  2nd at 2003 World Championships - United States (Kerry McCoy)  3rd at 2003 World Championships -Iran (Ali Reza Rezaii)  4th at 2003 World Championships -Ukraine (Serhii Priadun)  6th at 2003 World Championships - Kazakhstan (Marid Mutalimov)  7th at 2003 World Championnships - Belarus (Baris Hrinkevich)  8th at 2003 World Championships - Georgia (David Otiashvili or Aleksi Modebadze)  9th at 2003 World Championships - Hungary (Otto Aubeli)  10th at 2003 World Championships - Mongolia (Gelegjamts Usukhbayar)  11th at 2003 World Championships - Germany (Sven Thiele or Marcus Hamman)  Host Nation entry - Greece, also 5th in World Championships (Efsathios Topalidis or Stamatis Giagias)  1st at Olympic Qualifier #1 - Cuba (Alexis Rodriguez)  2nd at Olympic Qualifier #1-Russia (Kouramagomed Kouramagomedov or David Mussulbes)  3rd at Olympic Qualifier #1 - Italy (Francesco Miano)  4th at Olympic Qualifier #1 -Poland (Marek Garmulewicz or Radislaw Jankowski)  5th at Olympic Qualifier #1 -Turkey (Aydin Polatci or Recep Kara)  1st at Olympic Qualifier #2 -Bulgaria (Bojidar Boyadjiev)  2nd at Olympic Qualifier #2 -India (Palwinder Singh)  3rd at Olympic Qualifier #2 - Romania (Rares Chintoan)  4th at Olympic Qualifier #2 -Kyrgyzstan (Yuri Meldzihov)    RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS    2003 World Championships results  264.5- Gold - Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan) dec. Kerry McCoy (United States), 4-1. ot, 6:12; Bronze - Ali Reza Rezaei (Iran) dec. Serhii Priadun (Ukraine), 3-0; 5th - Efsathios Topalidis (Greece); 6th - Marid Mutalimov (Kazakhstan); 7th - Baris Hrinkevich (Belarus); 8th - Aleksi Modebadze (Georgia); 9th - Otto Aubeli (Hungary); 10th - Gelegjamts Usukhbayar (Mongolia)    2002 World Championships results  120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Gold - David Musulbes (Russia) dec. Alexis Rodriguez (Cuba), 5-0, ot, 6:04; Bronze