Date of competition: Tuesday, September 7

One of the top young stars in international wrestling is Russia’s Islam-beka Albiev, who won the 2008 Olympic title at the tender age of 19. He followed that up with a 2009 World title as a 20 year old. Albiev has not competed much this year, and did not medal at the FILA Golden Grand Prix Finals. Russia lists him as their entry, and you can expect him to be ready to defend his title.

The 2009 World silver medalist was Dilshod Aripov of Uzbekistan, a World champion way back in 2001 who turned 32 years old this year. Like Albiev, he has not competed much this year. Unlike Albiev, he is a veteran with a wealth of experience.

One of the more consistent wrestlers at this weight has been 2008 Olympic silver medalist Vitaly Rahimov of Azerbaijan, who won a bronze medal at the 2009 World Championships. He won the FILA Golden Grand Prix Finals competing up at 66 kg this year. If Rahimov does move up, Hasan Aliev was the 2009 European champion at this weight class and also won the FILA Golden Grand Prix Finals. Whoever Azerbaijan enters will be a gold-medal hopeful.

Nurbakyt Tengizbayev of Kazakhstan has also been superb, winning a 2008 Olympic bronze medal and a 2009 World bronze medal. Over the last four years, he has been a top 10 finisher at the World Championships, an indication that he wins regularly at the highest level.

This weight is loaded with veteran talent. Eusebiu Diaconu of Romania won World bronze medals in 2005 and 2007 and was eighth at the 2008 Olympic Games. Diaconu was second at the FILA Golden Grand Prix Finals this year. 

2008 Olympic bronze medalist Ruslan Tiumenbaev of Krygyzstan did not medal at last year’s World Championships. He could be replaced by Asis Beishaliev, who was fifth at the Asian Championships this year.

The 2010 European runner-up was Konstantin Balitski of Ukraine, a young star with few past achievements. One of the European bronze medalists this year, Tonomir Sokol of Croatia, has also not won many medals at the Senior level. 

Soner Sucu of Turkey and Davor Stefanek of Serbia were fifth at the World Championships last year.  Sucu was also fifth at the European Championships and fifth at the Hungarian Grand Prix this year. 


The 2010 Asian champion was Jiang Sheng of China, who was fifth at the 2008 Olympic Games. The Asian silver medalist was Woo Seoung-Jae of Korea. Ravinder Singh of India was one of the Asian bronze medalists.

Jansel Ramirez of the Dominican Republic captured the Pan American Championships title this year, his second career Pan American title. He has yet to place in the top 10 at the World Championships level. The United States entry is Jeremiah Davis, who is wrestling at his second straight World Championships. Davis has gotten considerable international experience recently, and is looking for a breakthrough this year in Moscow.

Omid Noroozi of Iran won a gold at the World Cup this year, with Revaz Lashkhi of Georgia claiming the silver medal. Both placed in the top 10 at the World last year, with Noroozi placing 10th and Lashkhi placing seventh.

Ivo Angelov of Bulgaria won the Pytlasinski International in Poland, a key tune-up event for the World Championships. Angelov was third at the European Championships last year and placed eighth this year.  Stig Andre Berge of Norway was ninth in the World last year, and placed fifth at the FILA Golden Grand Prix Finals.

Others to watch include Ryutaro Matsumoto of Japan, Almat Kebispaev of Kazakhstan and Sanjar Jumashev of Uzbekistan.

RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS

2009 World Championships
60 kg/132 lbs. - Gold - Islam-Beka Albiev (Russia); Silver - Dilshod Aripov (Uzbekistan); Bronze - Nurbakyt Tengysbaev (Kazakhstan); Bronze - Vitaliy Rahimov (Azerbaijan); 5th - Davor Stefanek (Serbia); 5th - Soner Sucu (Turkey); 7th - Revaz Lashkhi (Georgia); 8th - Ryutaro Matsumoto (Japan); 9th - Stig Andre Berge (Norway) ; 10th - Omid Noroozi (Iran)

2008 Olympic Games
60 kg/132 lbs. - Gold – Islam-beka Albiev (Russia); Silver - Vitaly Rahimov (Azerbaijan); Bronze - Ruslan Tiumenbaev (Krygyzstan); Bronze - Nurbakyt Tengizbayev (Kazakhstan); 5th - Roberto Monzon (Cuba); 5th - Jiang Shen (China); 7th - Armen Nazarian (Bulgaria); 8th - Eusebiu Diaconu (Romania); 9th - Ji-Hyun Jung (Korea); 10th - Makoto Sasamoto (Japan) 

2007 World Championships
60 kg/132 lbs. - Gold - David Bedinadze (Georgia); Silver - Makoto Sasamoto (Japan); Bronze - Ji-Hyun Jung (Korea); Bronze - Eusebiu Diaconu (Romania); 5th - Yury Dubinin (Belarus); 5th - Jarkko Ala-Huikku (Finland); 7th - Nurbakyt Tengysbayev (Kazakhstan); 8th - Davor Stefanek (Serbia); 9th - Islam-Beka Albiev (Russia); 10th - Song Il Ho (People’s Republic of Korea)

2006 World Championships
60 kg/132 lbs. – Gold – Joe Warren (USA); Silver - David Bedinadze (Georgia); Bronze – Emin Bunyamin (Turkey); Bronze – Vyacheslav Djaste (Russia); 5th – Oleksiy Vakulenko (Ukraine); 5th – Eusebiu Diaconu (Romania); 7th – Ali Ashkani (Iran); 8th – Nurhakhyt Tengizbaev (Kazakhstan); 9th – Heinz Mamette (Germany); 10th – Roberto Monzon (Cuba)

2005 World Championships
60 kg/ 132 lbs. - Gold - Armen Nazarian (Bulgaria); Silver - Ali Askhani (Iran); Bronze - Eusebiu Diaconu (Romania); Bronze - Peter Svehla (Czech Republic); 5th - Vahan Juharyan (Armenia); 5th - Laszlo Kliment (Hungary); 7th - Oleksei Vakulenko (Ukraine); 8th - Dilshod Aripov (Uzbekistan); 9th - Joe Warren (USA); 10th - Makoto Sasamoto (Japan)