Date of competition: Sunday, Sept. 18

India’s Sushil Kumar continued his run of international success by winning his first World title last year.

Kumar became a national hero after winning a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

Kumar beat Russia’s Alan Gogaev in the World finals at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. last year in Moscow.

Returning bronze medalists in this weight class are Jabrayil Hasanov of Azerbaijan and Geandry Garzon of Cuba. Hasanov won the European Championships this year.

Russia’s Adam Batirov placed third at Europeans before winning the Russian Nationals this year. His brother, Mavlet, is a two-time Olympic champion. He won the Olympics at 55 kg/121 lbs. in 2004 and won the title at 60 kg/132 lbs in 2008. Mavlet is wrestling at 66 kilos now.

Turkey’s Ramazan Shahin is another wrestler to keep an eye on in this division. He won a World title in 2007 before capturing an Olympic gold medal in 2008. He competed in the 2010 Worlds, but fell short of winning a medal after dropping his first match to Andriy Stadnik of Ukraine. Shahin beat Stadnik in the 2008 Olympic finals.

North Korea’s Chun Song Yang won the Asian Championships this year. He was ninth at the 2009 World Championships.

American Teyon Ware has had a breakthrough season internationally as he has made his first World Team in freestyle wrestling.

Ware is a dangerous wrestler who can put points on the board. He is capable of making a run deep into this tournament.

South Africa’s Heinrich Barnes, who wrestled for Oregon State, placed seventh in the World last year.

RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS

2010 World Championships
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Gold – Sushil Kumar (India); Silver – Alan Gogaev (Russia); Bronze – Jabrayil Hasanov (Azerbaijan); Bronze – Geandry Garzon (Cuba); 5th – Batzorig Buyanjav (Mongolia); 5th – Haislan Garcia (Canada); 7th – Heinrich Barnes (South Africa); 8th – Martin Daum (Germany); 9th – Yuri Poliak (Israel); 10th – Akzhurek Tantarov (Kazakhstan)

2009 World Championships
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Gold – Mehdi Taghavi (Iran); Silver – Rasul Djukaev (Russia); Bronze – Leonid Spiridonov (Kazakhstan); Bronze – Tatsuhiro Yonemitsu (Japan); 5th - Muhammed Ilkhan (Turkey); 5th - Sushil Kumar (India); 7th - Jabrayli Hasanov (Azerbaijan); 8th - Andriy Stadnik (Ukraine); 9th - Chung Song Yang (North Korea); 10th - Purevjav Unurbat (Mongolia)

2008 Olympic Games
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Gold – Ramazan Shahin (Turkey); Silver – Andriy Stadnik (Ukraine); Bronze – Otar Tushishvili (Georgia); Bronze – Sushil Kumar (India); 5th – Geandry Garzon (Cuba); 5th – Leonid Spiridonov (Kazakhstan); 7th – Irbek Farniev (Russia); 8th – Batzorig Buyanjav (Mongolia); 9th – Albert Batyrov (Belarus); 10th – Mehdi Taghavi (Iran)

2007 World Championships
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Gold - Ramazan Shahin (Turkey); Silver - Geandry Garzon (Cuba); Bronze - Irbek Farniev (Russia); Bronze - Otar Tushishvili (Georgia); 5th - Andrey Stadnik (Ukraine); 5th - Doug Schwab (United States); 7th - Sushil Kumar (India); 8th - Batzorig Buyanjav (Mongolia); 9th - Takayuki Suzuki (Japan); 10th - Arslan Khutaliev (Uzbekistan)

2006 World Championships
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Gold – Bill Zadick (USA); Silver – Otari Tushishvili (Georgia); Bronze – Geandry Garzon (Cuba); Bronze – Andriy Stadnik (Ukraine); 5th – Albert Batyrov (Belarus); 5th – Serafim Barzakov (Bulgaria); 7th – Elman Askerov (Azerbaijan); 8th – Fred Jessy (Nigeria); 9th – Makhach Murtazaliev (Russia); 10th – Leonid Spiridonov (Kazakhstan)

2005 World Championships
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Gold - Mahach Murtazaliev (Russia); Silver - Serafim Barzakov (Bulgaria); Bronze - Otar Tushishvili (Georgia); Bronze - Geandry Garzon (Cuba); 5th - Leonid Spirodonov (Kazakhstan); 5th - Viktor Bilokopytyy (Ukraine); 7th - Bayunjav Batzorig (Mongolia); 8th - Evan MacDonald (Canada); 9th - Omer Cubukci (Turkey); 10th - Masoud Vahedi (Iran)