Date of competition: Monday, September 6

The dominant athlete in this weight division in recent years is Hamid Sorian Reinhanpour of Iran, who has won the last four World titles (2005-07, 2009). He burst onto the scene as a Junior World champion in 2005, and has wrestled brilliantly. Much to his disappointment, he was only fifth at the 2008 Olympic Games, which seems to have kept him focused on the next opportunity in London in 2012.

Sorian defeated Roman Amoyan of Armenia in the world finals last year. Amoyan was a 2008 Olympic bronze medalist. He captured a World Cup gold medal this year.

The 2008 Olympic champion was Nazyr Mankiev of Russia, who did not compete in 2009. He has returned, winning a silver medal at the 2010 European Championships and competing in the World Cup. He was second at the Pytlasinski International in Poland, a pre-World tuneup event. Russia lists him as their entry in Moscow.

One of the top contenders each year is 2008 Olympic silver medalist Rovshan Bayramov of Azerbaijan, who won a World bronze medal in 2009. Bayramov was second in the Hungarian Grand Prix this year, but did not medal at the FILA Golden Grand Prix Finals held in his country. Azerbaijan has a chance to send 2010 European champion Elchin Aliev at this weight, who was third in Pytlasinski International a month ago.

Hakan Nyblom of Denmark made big news last year at the World Championships held in his native Herning when he captured a bronze medal. He has not entered a major event since.

The United States has high hopes for Spenser Mango, who has been the top athlete in the U.S. for three straight seasons. Mango was eighth in the Beijing Olympics and ninth at the 2009 World Championships, and seeks to reach the medal rounds this year. He has won age-group medals, including a University World title and a Junior World bronze medal.

European bronze medalists this year were Peter Modos of Hungary and Vugar Ragimov of Ukraine. Modos has had a strong season, winning a gold at the FILA Golden Grand Prix Finals and capturing a bronze at the World Cup. Ragimov was 10th in the World Championships last year, 

Alexander Kostadinov of Bulgaria, a two-time Junior World champion, was fifth in the European Championships this year. He was seventh at the Pytlasinski International. Bulgaria also could bring Velenin Venkov, who was fifth in the 2006 World Championships. 

Both wrestlers who placed fifth at the 2009 World Championships come from Europe, Erhan Karakus of Turkey and Virgil Munteanu of Romania. Munteanu was seventh at the European Championships and seventh at the FILA Golden Grand Prix Finals. Karakus has not competed much, but did enter the World Cup this year. 

The 2010 Asian champion is Gyu-Jim Choi of Korea, who was seventh in the World Championships last year. Korea could also consider Lee Jung-Bael, who was third at the FILA Golden Grand Prix Finals and a 2006 Asian champion. 

Talented Kohei Hasegawa of Japan continues to try to break through at the World level. He was second at the 2010 FILA Golden Grand Prix Finals, and third at the tough Hungarian Grand Prix. Hasegawa was a 2009 Asian champion, yet does not yet have a World medal.

Jani Haapamaki of Finland was eighth in the World Championships last year, and won the gold medal in the Pytlasinski International. Kristijan Fris of Serbia, who placed seventh at the 2008 Olympic Games, placed a strong third at the Pytlasinski International. Lasha Gogitadze of Georgia, who was ninth at the 2008 Olympics, placed fifth at the European Championships this year, as well as fifth at the World Cup.

Gustavo Balart Marin of Cuba has won the Pan American Championships for the last two years and was second in the 2010 World Cup.

Others to watch include Ildar Hafizov of Uzbekistan, Anders Ronningen of Norway, Marius Los of Poland, Rajender Kumar of India, Marat Garipov of Kazakhstan and Danior Islamov of Moldova.

RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS

2009 World Championships
55 kg/121 lbs. - Gold - Hamid Sorian Reihanpour (Iran); Silver - Roman Amoyan (Armenia); Bronze - Hakan Nyblom (Denmark); Bronze - Rovshan Bayramov (Azerbaijan); 5th - Erhan Karakus (Turkey); 5th - Virgil Munteanu (Romania); 7th - Gyu-Jim Choi (Korea); 8th - Jani Haapamaki (Finland); 9th - Spenser Mango (USA); 10th - Vyugar Ragymov (Ukraine)

2008 Olympic Games
55 kg/121 lbs. - Gold - Nazyr Mankiev (Russia); Silver - Rovshan Bayramov (Azerbaijain); Bronze - Roman Amoyan (Armenia); Bronze - Eun-Chol Park (Korea); 5th - Yagnier Hernandez (Cuba); 5th - Hamid Soryan Reihanpour (Iran); 7th - Kristijan Fris (Serbia); 8th - Spenser Mango (USA); 9th - Lasha Goctadze (Georgia); 10th - Ildar Hafizov (Uzbekistan) 

2007 World Championships
55 kg/121 lbs - Gold - Hamid Sorian Reihanpour (Iran); Silver - Eun-Chol Park (Korea); Bronze - Nazyr Mankiev (Russia); Bronze - Kristijan Fris (Serbia); 5th - Ildar Hafizov (Uzbekistan); 5th - Lindsey Durlacher (United States); 7th - Virgil Munteanu (Romania); 8th - Anders Nyblom (Denmark); 9th - Yerbol Konyratov (Kazakhstan); 10th - Rovshan Bayramov (Azerbaijan)

2006 World Championships
55 kg/121 lbs. – Gold – Hamid Sorian Reihanpour (Iran); Silver – Roushan Bayramov (Azerbaijan); Bronze – Lindsey Durlacher (USA); Bronze – Eun-Chol Park (Korea); 5th – Velenin Venkov (Bulgaria); 5th – Tibor Olah (Hungary); 7th – Vyugar Ragymov (Ukraine); 8th – Yerbel Konyratov (Kazakhstan); 9th – Anders Nyblom (Denmark); 10th – Aliaksandr Shalesny (Belarus)

2005 World Championships
55 kg/121 lbs. - Gold - Hamid Sourian Reinhanpour (Iran); Silver - Eun-Chol Park (Korea); Bronze - Istvan Majoros (Hungary); Bronze - Yermek Kuketov (Kazakhstan); 5th - Anders Nyblom (Denmark); 5th - Lazaro Rivas (Cuba); 7th - Rovshan Bayramov (Azerbaijan); 8th - Irakli Chochua (Georgia); 9th - Roman Amoyan (Armenia); 10th - Kwang Su Cha (North Korea)