Date of competition: Wednesday, September 14

The reigning World champion is one of Japan’s legendary stars, seven-time World champion Hitomi Sakamoto. She won most of her World golds at a higher weight class, but made the drop to the Olympic weight class in order to seek her first Olympic title. Sakamoto comes in as a favorite in a very competitive division.

The 2010 World silver medalist is Russia’s Lorissa Oorzhak, a veteran who has a long list of achievements, including the 2009 World silver medal and a 2010 European title. She was eighth at the 2011 European Championships.

Claiming a 2010 World bronze medals was 2008 Olympic champion Carol Huynh of Canada, one of the veteran stars in this division. Huynh did not compete in 2009, but has returned to top form. Other World medals in her trophy case include a silver in 2001 and a bronze in 2005. 

This weight class should feature a number of other World champions, including 2009 World champion Mariya Stadnyk of Azerbaijan and 2008 World champion Clarissa Chun of the United States. 

Stadnyk did not represent Azerbaijan at last year’s World Championships, as teammate Patimat Bagomedova finished fifth. Stadnyk won her third European gold medal this year, then added a title at the FILA Golden Grand Prix finals in her native Azerbaijan this summer. 

Chun did not make the 2010 U.S. World Team, a season which was hampered a bit by injuries. She has had a strong season so far this year, reclaiming her top spot on Team USA andwinning titles at the Open Cup in Russia this winter and the Poland Open this summer, a key Worlds tune-up. Chun was fifth at the 2008 Olympic Games.

Capturing the other 2010 World bronze medal was China’s Sasha Zhao, who was a 2010 Asian champion. China often has depth in its women’s program, especially in the lighter weights. Yanan Sun was the 2011 Asian champion at this weight and was seventh at the Junior World Championships. Another possible entry is Xiaomei Li, who was a 2007 World bronze medalist, 2008 Olympian and 2009 Asian champion.

Kristina Daranutsa of Ukraine was second at the 2011 European Championships, and eighth at the 2010 World Championships. She may not be the Ukrainian entry here, because Oleksandra Kohut, the 2010 World champion at 51 kg, has dropped to 48 kg this summer and was second at the FILA Golden Grand Prix Finals. Ukraine also boasts the 2009 World bronze medalist at this weight, Lyudmila Balushka.

Yana Stadnik of Great Britain has been a consistent contender in recent years, She placed fifth in the World Championships in 2009 and seventh in 2010. She was also second in the 2010 European Championships and fifth in 2011. She added a bronze medal at the 2011 FILA Golden Grand Prix Finals. She is originally from Ukraine, but has made her name internationally with Great Britain.

2008 World silver medalist Jyldyz Eshimova of Kazakhstan continues to be a serious threat. She won a gold medal at the World Cup and was third at the 2011 FILA Golden Grand Prix finals. 

North Korea boasts a top contender, 2009 World bronze medalist Sim-Hyang So, who was third in this year’s Asian Championships. Another top athlete from Asia is Enkhjargal Tsogbazar of Mongolia, second in the Asian Championships this year and ninth in the 2010 World Championships. Also watch Thi Lua Nguyen of Vietnam, who was fifth at the 2009 World Championships and third at the 2010 Asian Championships.

Iwona Matkowska of Poland was fifth at the 2010 World Championships and third at the 2011 European Championships. Melanie Lesaffre of France was a 2009 European bronze medalist and placed seventh there this year. France could be represented by veteran Vanessa Boubreyemm, who was third in the Poland Open last month and has been a World placewinner a number of times.

Women’s wrestling is improving in Africa, and the 2011 African champion is Rebecca Muambo of Cameroon. Cristina Croituru of Romania was third at the European Championships this year, and has placed in other major events. 

The wildcard in this weight class is whether many of the current 51 kg athletes make the cut down to try to qualify for the Olympics. Last year’s 51 kg champion, Kohut from Ukraine, made the move down this summer one time. The 2010 World champion at 51 kg, Sofia Mattsson of Sweden, competed at 48 kg at the 2008 Olympics and might consider it. With the 2011 World Championships serving as a key qualifier for the Olympics, we could see some tough 51 kg entries making the drop. 

RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS

2010 World Championships
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Gold – Hitomi Sakamoto (Japan); Silver – Lorissa Oorzhak (Russia); Bronze – Sasha Zhao (China); Bronze – Carol Huyhn (Canada); 5th – Patimat Bagomedova (Azerbaijan); 5th – Iwona Matkowska (Poland); 7th – Yana Stadnik (Great Britain); 8th – Khrystyna Daranutsa (Ukraine); 9th – Enkhjargal Tsogtbazar (Mongolia); 10th – Hyung-Joo Kim (Korea)

2009 World Championships
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Gold - Mariya Stadnyk (Azerbaijan); Silver - Lorisa Oorzhak (Russia); Bronze - Sim Hyang So (North Korea); Bronze - Lyudmila Balushka (Ukraine); 5th - Thi Lua Nguyen (Vietnam); 5th - Yana Stadnik (Great Britain); 7th - Lindsay Rushton (Canada); 8th - Makiko Sakamoto (Japan); 9th - Clarissa Chun (USA); 10th - Sara Sanchez (Spain)

2008 Olympic Games
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Gold - Carol Huyhn (Canada); Silver - Chiharu Icho (Japan); Bronze - Mariya Stadnyk (Azerbaijan); Bronze - Irini Merlini (Ukraine); 5th - Tatyana Bakatyuk (Kazakhstan); 5th - Clarissa Chun (USA); 7th - Vanessa Boubryemm (France); 8th - Kim Hyung-Joo (Korea); 9th - Ingrid Medrano (El Salvador); 10th - Estera Dobre (Romania)

2008 World Championships
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Gold – Clarissa Chun (USA); Silver – Jyldyz Eshimova-Turtbayeva (Kazakhstan); Bronze – Makiko Sakamoto (Japan); Bronze – Guibei Su (China); 5th – Demet Kaya (Turkey); 5th – Tsogbazar Enkhjargal (Mongolia); 7th – Fani Psatha (Greece); 8th – Aleksandra Kohut (Ukraine); 9th – Lindsay Rushton (Canada); 10th - Tsai Pei-Jing (Chinese Taipei)

2007 World Championships results
48 kg/105.5 lbs.- Gold - Chiharu Icho (Japan); Silver - Irini Merleni (Ukraine); Bronze - Xiaomei Li (China); Bronze - Mayelis Caripa (Venezuela); 5th - Carol Huynh (Canada); 5th - Stephanie Murata (United States); 7th - Maria Stadnyk (Azerbaijan); 8th - Sofia Mattsson (Sweden); 9th - Venessa Boubryemm (France); 10th - Brigitte Wagner (Germany)

2006 World Championships results
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Gold - Chiharu Icho (Japan); Silver - Ren Zue Cen (China); Bronze - Iwona Sadowska (Poland); Bronze - Francine DePaola (Italy); 5th - Marina Markevich (Belarus); 5th - Carol Huyhn (Canada); 7th - Nataliya Pulkovska (Ukraine); 8th - Hajar Ashtiani (Finland); 9th - Mary Kelly (USA); 10th - Sunisa Klahan (Thailand)

2005 World Championships results
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Gold - Xueceng Ren (China); Silver - Irini Merleni (Ukraine); Bronze - Carol Huynh (Canada); Bronze - Makiko Sakamoto (Japan); 5th - Mayelis Caripa (Venezuela); 5th - Liliya Kaskarakova (Russia); 7th - Jenny Wong (USA); 8th - Francine DePaola (France); 9th - Sigrun Dobner (Germany); 10th - Zhyldyz Eshimova (Kyrgyzstan)