The returning World champion is Alan Dudaev of Russia, but 2004 Olympic champion Mavlet Batirov, who has moved up to this weight from 55 kg, is expected to wrestle for Russia at the World meet.

Batirov was the 2006 European champion. Cuba's Yandro Quintana, the 2004 Olympic champion and 2005 World silver medalist, is expected to be competing for medals again. Returning World bronze medalists are Martin Berberyan of Armenia and Mehdi Mohammadi of Iran. 

Vasul Aliev of Azerbaijan was the Golden Grand Prix finals champion, competing on his home mats. Veteran Vasyl Fedoryshin of Ukraine placed second to Aliev at the Golden Grand Prix.

Tevfik Odabasi of Turkey, 10th in the World Championships last year, was second in the European Championships. Claiming bronze medals at the European Championships were Evgeniy Khavelov of Ukraine and Anatolie Guidea of Bulgaria.

The U.S. brings a new athlete to the Worlds this year in 28-year-old Mike Zadick, a former Iowa Hawkeye standout who wrestles an aggressive style and could surprise people.

Zadick took a big step on the international level this year when he won the Dave Schultz Memorial International and placed second at the prestigious Uzbekistan Independence Cup in March. He finally appears to be healthy again after battling an assortment of injuries.

Asian champion Ri Yong Chol of North Korea should be in the mix. Oyunbileg Purebaatar of Mongolia, a World silver medalist in 2001 and 2002, placed fifth in the World last year.

World Champions who might compete, include 2003 World champion Arif Abdullayev of Azerbaijan, 2002 World champion Aran Margaryan of Armenia and 2001 World champion Giya Sissauori of Canada. Of those, only Sissaouri placed last year at the Worlds, taking eighth.

With two Olympic champions, and possibly three more World Champions in the field, this has to rank as one of the toughest weight classes of the World Championships.

Don't be surprised to see a hungry, driven newcomer like Zadick pull off an upset or two. He's shown a penchant for pulling off upsets in his career. He loves the underdog role and is looking strong and focused going into China.

RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS

2005 World Championships results
60 kg/ 132 lbs. - Gold - Alan Dudaev (Russia); Silver - Yandro Quintana (Cuba); Bronze - Martin Berberyan (Armenia); Bronze - Mehdi Mohammadi (Iran); 5th - Levan Chabradze (Georgia); 5th - Oyunbileg Purevbaatar (Mongolia); 7th - Jae-Myung Song (Korea); 8th - Giuvi Sissaouri (Canada); 9th - Gergo Woller (Hungary); 10th - Tevfik Odabasi (Turkey)

2004 Olympic Games results
60 kg/ 132 lbs. - Gold - Yandro Quintana (Cuba); Silver -Maoud Jokar (Iran); Bronze - Kenji Inoue (Japan); 4th -  Vasyl Fedoryshin (Ukraine); 5th -Giuvi Sissaouri (Canada); 6th -David Pogosian (Georgia); 7th - Jung Young Ho (Korea); 8th - Lubos Cikel (Austria); 9th - Damir Zakhartdinov (Uzbekistan); 10th - Mourad Oumakhanov (Russia)

2003 World Championships results
60 kg/ 132 lbs. - Gold - Arif Abdullaev (Azerbaijan) dec. Yandro Quintana (Cuba), 4-3; Bronze - Song Jae-Myung (Korea) dec. Sushil Kumar (India), 3-1; 5th - David Pogozian (Georgia); 6th - Tevfik Odabasi (Turkey); 7th - Ulu Ulan Dadyrabek (Kyrgyzstan); 8th - Damir Zakhartdinov (Uzbekistan); 9th - Lubos Cikel (Austria); 10th - Eric Guerrero (United States)

2002 World Championships results
60 kg/132 lbs. - Gold - Aran Margaryan (Armenia); Silver - Oyunbileg Purebaatar (Mongolia); Bronze - Mohammed Talaee (Iran); 4th - Petru Toarca (Romania); 5th - David Pogosian (Georgia); 6th - Damir Zakhartdinov (Uzbekistan); 7th - Daniel Wild (Germany); 8th - Arif Abdullayev (Azerbaijan); 9th - Bezik Aslanasvili (Greece); 10th - Meiroms Beisebaev (Kazakhstan)

2001 World Championships results
58 kg/127.75 lbs. - Gold - Giuvi Sissaouri (Canada) dec. Purevbaator Oyunbileg (Mongolia), 5-2, ot; Bronze - David Pogosian (Georgia) dec. Anatoliy Guidia (Bulgaria), 3-0; 5th - Vasil Fedorishin (Ukraine); 6th - Arif Abdullayev (Azerbaijan); 7th - Yandro Quintana (Cuba); 8th - Zelimkhan Gousseihov (Russia); 9th - Petru Toarca (Romania); 10th - Bahman Tayebi (Iran)