This weight class may be the most loaded freestyle division in the 2007 World Championships.

Mavlet Batirov of Russia and Yandro Quintana of Cuba both won gold medals at the 2004 Olympic Games, but neither wrestler made the finals of the 2006 World Championships at 60 kg/132 lbs.

Seyed Mourad Mohammadi of Iran edged first-time World Team member Mike Zadick of the United States in the 2006 finals at 60 kg.

Quintana may be the hottest wrestler in this weight class entering the 2007 Worlds in Baku, Azerbaijan. Quintana, who won a silver medal at the 2003 and 2005 Worlds before finishing ninth in the World in 2006, looked very impressive in sweeping Zadick 3-0, 1-0 in the finals of the Pan American Games in late July.

Batirov, who bumped up a weight class from 55 kg to 60 kg after winning the Olympics, fell to Zadick 1-0, 1-0 in the semifinals of the 2006 Worlds. Batirov was considered one of the favorites last year and has to be again this year.

Mohammadi also is very strong and very difficult to score points on. Look for him to be in the hunt again as well.

Expect Zadick, who endured a long summer where he had to win a Special Wrestle-Off on Aug. 16 to make the U.S. World Team, to be ready for another strong performance in the 2007 Worlds. The 29-year-old is driven by his close finals loss to Mohammadi and eager for another shot at a World gold medal.

Vasil Fedoryshin of the Ukraine, fifth at the 2006 Worlds, won the 2007 European Championships.

Japan's Noriyuki Takatsuka is the other returning bronze medalist in this weight class.

Bazar Bazarguruev of Kirghizistan won the 2007 Asian Championships in this division.

Expect this weight class to be a dogfight with the very strong quartet of Mohammadi, Zadick, Batirov and Quintana all expected to contend for a title.

RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS

2006 World Championships
60 kg/132 lbs. - Gold - Seyed Mourad Mohammadi (Iran); Silver - Mike Zadick (USA); Bronze - Noriyuki Takatsuka (Japan); Bronze - Mavlet Batirov (Russia); 5th - Vasil Fedoryshin (Ukraine); 5th - Dutt Yogeshwar (India); 7th - David Pogosian (Georgia); 8th - Aliaksandr Karnitski (Belarus); 9th - Yandro Quintana (Cuba); 10th - Farzad Tarash (Australia)

2005 World Championships
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
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
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
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)