Date of competition: Friday, September 16

Martine Dugrenier of Canada is the dominant athlete in this weight class. She has been in the World finals for six straight seasons, an amazing streak of consistency and excellence. Dugrenier has won the last three World titles at 67 kg/147.5 lbs. (2008, 2009, 2010) and was second the previous three years. (2005, 2006, 2007). She has not switched to an Olympic weight yet, which she did in 2008 when she competed in the Olympics at 63 kg and did not medal. She won gold medals in three European events this season, and will be a big favorite going into the World Championships again this year.

As a non-Olympic weight class, this division could have unexpected results this year. A number of athletes could decide to move either up or down into an Olympic weight class, attempting to qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games. We could see some new young athletes in the tournament, all with a chance to make a name for themselves.

Last year’s World silver medalist Elena Shalygina of Kazakhstan is listed at 63 kg for this year’s Worlds. The preliminary roster lists Tatyana Zhakharova, who was third in the Asian Championships and fifth in the FILA Golden Grand Prix Finals as Kazakhstan’s entry.

Ifeoma Iheanacho of Nigeria has won World bronze medals at this division the last two years, but is not listed on Nigeria’s preliminary roster. Her last major competition was the 2010 Commonwealth Games, where she placed third.

The other 2010 World bronze medalist, Alla Cherkosova of Ukraine, is also not on preliminary rosters and has not competed this season. Maryana Kvyatkovska, who competed at the World Championships last year at 63 kg, is the entry. Ukraine could also go with 2010 Junior World champion Alina Makhinya, who was second at the 2011 Europeans at 67 kg.

Nadya Sementsova of Azerbaijan was fifth in last year’s World Championships, and won the 2011 European Championships at this weight class. She has competed up at 72 kg in her last two international events, including the FILA Golden Grand Prix Finals. Another possible entry for Azerbaijan is Zumrud Gurbanhajieva, who was third at the FILA Golden Grand Prix at 67 kg.

Japan will be switching its 67 kg entry this year, after Mami Shinkai placed fifth at the 2010 World Championships. Yoshiko Inoue, who was fifth in the 2007 and 2009 World Championships and won a 2006 Junior World title, is the choice. Inoue won the Asian Championships this year at this weight.

The United States will be represented by Adeline Gray, who was fifth in the 2009 World Championships, losing in a wild battle with Iheanacho in the bronze-medal bout. Gray won a Junior World title in 2008 and was second in the 2011 Junior World Championships. She missed 2010 to an injury, but has regained top form this year. She dropped to 63 kg for the U.S. Trials in the Olympic weights and placed second, then moved back up to 67 kg for the Non-Olympic weight trials event to make the team. 

Mongolia will enter Nasanburmaa Ochirbat, who won a World bronze medal in 2008 at 67 kg, but has wrestled often at 63 kg in recent seasons. She did wrestle up at 67 kg at the World Cup this year.

Russia has a lot of options here, but has selected 2007 World bronze medalist Natalya Kuksina to compete this year in Istanbul. She won the Poland Open in July, a tune-up event for the World Championships. Darima Sanzheeva did not place for Russia at the European Championships this year and was second at the FILA Golden Grand Prix Finals at 67 kg, another option if Russia wanted to switch up.

Burcu Orskaya of Turkey was seventh in the 2010 World Championships and placed fifth at this year’s European Championships. She won a number of medals in international events so far this winter.

Maria Selmaier of Germany was eighth in the World last year at this division, but is listed as the alternate on the team behind Aline Focken, who was second at the 2011 Junior World Championships down at 63 kg.

Others to watch include Yanira Morales of Cuba, Aurora Fajardo of Spain and Nadia Antar of Egypt.

RECENT WORLD RESULTS

2010 World Championships
67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Gold – Martine Dugrenier (Canada); Silver – Elena Shalygina (Kazakhstan); Bronze – Ifeoma Iheanacho (Nigeria); Bronze –Alla Cherkosova (Ukraine); 5th – Mami Shinkai (Japan); 5th – Nadya Sementsova (Azerbaijan); 7th – Burcu Orskaya (Turkey); 8th – Maria Selmaier (Germany); 9th – Ying Chen (China); 10th – Yanira Morales (Cuba)

2009 World Championships
67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Gold - Martine Dugrenier (Canada); Silver - Julia Bartnovskaia (Russia); Bronze - Ifeoma Ihenacho (Nigeria); Bronze - Nadrakh Odonchimeg (Mongolia); 5th - Adeline Gray (USA); 5th - Yoshiko Inoue (Japan); 7th - Kateryna Burmistrova (Ukraine); 8th - Zumrud Gurganhajiyeva (Azerbaijan); 9th - Maher Hasan Salem Doaa Ahmed (Egypt); 10th - Ji-Eun Kim (Korea)

2008 World Championships
67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Gold – Martine Dugrenier (Canada); Silver – Mami Shinkai (Japan); Bronze – Katerina Burmistrova (Ukraine); Bronze – O. Nasanburmaa (Mongolia); 5th – Suman Kundu (India); 5th – Ulia Borinovskai (Russia); 7th – Fengliu Zhang (China); 8th – Elena Pirozhkov (USA); 9th – Stephanie Maierhofer (Austria); 10th – Lise Legrand-Golliot (France)

2007 World Championships
67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Gold - Rui Xue Jing (China); Silver - Martine Dugrenier (Canada); Bronze - Katie Downing (United States); Bronze - Natalya Kuksina (Russia); 5th - Yoshiko Inoue (Japan); 5th - Darya Karpenko (Kazakhstan); 7th - Katerina Burmistrova (Ukraine); 8th - Hanna Belyaeva (Belarus); 9th - Suman Kundu (India); 10th - Michala Krizkova-Spoustova (Czech Republic)

2006 World Championships
67 kg/147.5 lbs. – Gold - Jing Rui Xue (China); Silver - Martine Dugrenier (Canada); Bronze - Maria Muller (Germany); Bronze - Eri Sakamoto (Japan); 5th - Teresa Mendez (Spain); 5th - Diana Mudrag (Romania); 7th - Naranchimeg Gelgjamts (Mongolia); 8th - Agniezska Wieczczek (Poland); 9th - Iryna Tsyrkevitch (Belarus); 10th - Masira Admiraal (Netherlands)

2005 World Championships
67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Gold - Meng Lili (China); Silver - Martine Dugrenier (Canada); Bronze - Elene Perepelkina (Russia); Bronze - Katie Downing (USA); 5th - Naranchimeg Gelegjamts (Mongolia); 5th - Ashlea McManus (Great Britain); 7th - Eri Sakamoto (Japan); 8th - Rita Soos (Hungary); 9th - Stavrola Zygouri (Greece); 10th - Masira Admiraal (Netherlands)