Date of competition: Thursday, September 15

As a non-Olympic weight class, this division could see some of its stars either drop to 55 kg or jump up to 59 kg in order to qualify for the Olympics at those weights. This will leave an opportunity to others who may be seeking a first World title.

The reigning World champion is young Mongolian Battsetseg Soronzonbold, who was a bit of a surprise winner last summer. She was third in the World Cup this year, and second at the Dave Schultz Memorial competing up at 63 kg. She may not even be Mongolia’s entry, as the preliminary roster lists Battsetseg Baatarzorig as an option. Baatarzorig was third at the Junior World Championships and second at the Junior Asian Championships this year.

The World runner-up in 2010 was Lian Zhang of China, who was also a 2010 Junior World Champion. However, China looks to drop her down to 55 kg, and has listed Chen Yang as their entry at 59 kg. Yang was second at the 2011 Asian Championships at 55 kg.

Ayako Shoda of Japan was third at the World Championships last year at 59 kg, and boasts four World titles in 2000, 2005, 2006 and 2008. However, the Japanese lineup lists Takako Saito as its entry this year, who won the 2011 Asian Championships.

Veteran Johanna Mattsson of Sweden was the other 2010 World bronze medalist, but she is not listed on the Swedish lineup. Her sister Sofia Mattsson is listed at 59 kg. Sofia was a World champion at 51 kg back in 2009 and was third in 2010. This year, Sofia has wrestled a few tournaments up at 55 kg. Sister Johanna has not wrestled this year at all.

One of the fifth place finishers from last year, Tonya Verbeek of Canada, has dropped to 55 kg.

Starting to see a pattern here? You can expect this weight class to look a lot different than it was last summer in Moscow.

The top returning placewinner from last year’s World Championships who will be Kelsey Campbell of the United States, who placed fifth in her first trip to the Worlds. Campbell tried out for the USA team at 55 kg at the Olympic weight trials, then returned to 59 kg to win the non-Olympic weight trials. She was a Pan American champion at 55 kg in 2011. A win at 59 kg in the Poland Open, a key pre-Worlds tuneup event, gives Campbell momentum coming into Istanbul.

2009 World champion Yulia Ratkevich of Azerbaijan won the European Championships at this division this year. However, she does not appear on the World roster either. Sona Ahmadli won the FILA Golden Grand Prix Finals at 59 kg and was a 2010 European Champion for Azerbaijan. 

Georgiana Paic of Romania placed second at the 2011 European Championships this year. Ana Vasilenko of Ukraine and Olga Butkevich of Great Britain won the European bronze medals. Butkevich was second at the Golden Grand Prix Finals in Azerbaijan this summer, while Vasilenko was seventh there. Vasilenko won a World bronze medal back in 2009.

2010 World silver medalist Agata Pietrzyk of Poland, who also claimed a World bronze medal in 2008, is expected to enter. She missed the medals at the European Championships, placing eighth, but placed second in the Poland Open tune-up event at 55 kg. 

Russia lists 2011 Junior World bronze medalist Valeria Zholobova as its entry at the Senior Worlds. She also won a Junior World silver medal the year before. Veteran Anna Polovneva wrestled here for Russia at the Europeans but missed the medal rounds. 

Placing in the top 10 at the Worlds last year were Laura Skujina of Lithuania, Olga Kalinina of Kazakhstan, Alka Tomar of India and Joice Souza da Silva of Brazil. The African champion this year was Jacira Francisco Mendoca of Guinea-Bissau. 

Others to watch include Adeline Vescan of France, Thi Lan Duong of Vietnam and Amanda Gerhart of Canada. 

There is a good bet we will have a new World champion at this weight class. The question is which athlete makes the most of the opportunity.

RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS

2010 World Championships
59 kg/130 lbs. - Gold – Battsetseg Soronzonbold (Mongolia); Silver – Lian Zhang (China); Bronze – Ayako Shoda (Japan); Bronze – Johanna Mattsson (Sweden); 5th – Tonya Verbeek (Canada); 5th – Kelsey Campbell (USA); 7th – Laura Skujina (Lithuania); 8th – Olga Kalinina (Kazakhstan); 9th - Alka Tomar (India); 10th – Joice Souza da Silva (Brazil)

2009 World Championships
59 kg/130 lbs. - Gold - Yulia Ratkevich (Azerbaijan); Silver - Agata Pietrzyk (Poland); Bronze - Marianna Sastin (Hungary); Bronze - Ganna Vasylenko (Ukraine); 5th - Deanna Rix (USA); 5th - Katherine Patroch (Canada); 7th - Olga Kalinina (Kazakhstan); 8th - Ludmila Cristea (Moldova); 9th - Aurora Fajardo (Spain); 10th - Olga Kiosova (Russia)

2008 World Championships
59 kg/130 lbs. - Gold – Ayako Shoda (Japan); Silver – Natalia Golts (Russia); Bronze – Elvira Mursalova (Azerbaijan); Bronze – Agata Pietrzyk (Poland); 5th – Deanna Rix (USA); 5th – Sabrina Esposito (Italy); 7th – Katie Patroch (Canada); 8th – Leyla Metin (Turkey); 9th – Marianna Sastin (Hungary); 10th – Alla Cherkasova (Ukraine)

2007 World Championships
59 kg/130 lbs. - Gold - Audrey Prieto-Bokhashvili (France); Silver - Stephanie Gross (Germany); Bronze - Natalya Synyshyn (Ukraine); Bronze - Dorj Narmandakh (Mongolia); 5th - Brittanee Laverdure (Canada); 5th - Sandra Roa (Colombia); 7th - Ayako Shoda (Japan); 8th - Larissa Kanaeva (Russia); 9th - Miruyert Dynbaeva (Kazakhstan); 10th - Agata Pietrzyk (Poland)

2006 World Championships results
59 kg/130 lbs. – Gold - Ayako Shoda (Japan); Silver - Su Liu Hui (China); Bronze - Alka Tomar (India); Bronze - Nataliya Sinishin (Ukraine); 5th - Ludmila Cristea (Moldova); 5th - Marianna Sastin (Hungary); 7th - Erin Tomeo (United States); 8th - Stefanie Stuber (Germany); 9th - Jackeline Renteria (Colombia); 10th - Gudrun Hoie (Norway)

2005 World Championships results
59 kg/130 lbs. - Gold - Ayako Shoda (Japan); Silver - Marianna Sastin (Hungary); Bronze - Sally Roberts (USA); Bronze - Lene Aanes (Norway); 5th - Anna Zwirydowska (Poland); 5th - Ida Theres-Karlsson (Sweden); 7th - Yuliya Ratkevich (Belarus); 8th - Michelle Richardson (Canada); 9th - Olena Komarova (Ukraine); 10th - Alka Tomar Singh (India)