for immediate release, May 6, 1998 
 Many of the best high school and college wrestlers in the nation are expected to participate in the 1998 FILA Junior National Wrestling Championships and World Team Trials, at Lambert Fieldhouse on the campus of Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., May 15-17. 
 The FILA Junior age-group was formerly known as the Espoir Division. FILA, the International Governing Body, changed the name of the age-group last year. These athletes are between 17 and 20 years old, and will be competing in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling, the two Olympic styles of the sport. Competitors must have been born between 1977-1981. Athletes born in 1982 must submit a medical certificate to compete. 
 The winner of the FILA Junior National Championships/World Team Trials in freestyle and Greco-Roman will qualify to compete on the 1997 U.S. FILA Junior World Team. If an athlete claims titles in both styles, he will be allowed to choose the style in which he wishes to compete in at the World Championships. 
 The 1998 FILA Junior World Championships in freestyle will be held in Primm, Nev., Aug. 7-10. The FILA Junior Greco-Roman World Championships will be in LeCaire, Egypt, Aug. 18-21. 
 Leading the list of athletes expected to compete this year are 1997 Espoir National double champions T.J. Hill (Farmington, Mo./MAWA) at 108 lbs. and J.R. Plienis (Edgemere, Md./Husker WC) at 253 lbs. 
 Hill has claimed a total of nine USA Wrestling age-group titles, having won double titles at three of the four levels. Hill needs two more titles to tie the record for most age-group national titles, which is shared by 1996 Olympic silver medalist Brandon Paulson of Anoka, Minn. and Billy Pierce of Minneapolis, Minn. 
 Plienis, who has claimed double titles at both the Junior and Espoir levels, is expected to compete after a successful season with the Univ. of Nebraska. 
 In freestyle, 1997 Espoir National champion and NCAA All-American Stephen Abas (Hayward, Calif./Sunkist Kids) at 123.25 lbs. is expected to compete. Abas placed fourth at the 1998 NCAA Championships for Fresno St. Univ. 
 In Greco-Roman, top ranked FILA Junior athletes expected to compete include 1997 Espoir National champions Brady Jones (Salt Lake City, Utah/Sundance) at 114.5 lbs., Tom Ciezki (Evergreen Park, Ill./Wildcat WC) at 167.25 lbs. and Justin Ruiz (Salt Lake City, Utah/Elite WC) at 198 lbs. 
 The freestyle competition begins Friday, May 15 with preliminary rounds scheduled from 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. and 6:30 - 10:00 p.m. The freestyle competition continues on Saturday, May 16, starting at 8:00 a.m. and continuing throughout the day. The finals are expected to be completed before 8:00 p.m. 
 The Greco-Roman competition will be held Sunday, May 18, starting at 9:00 a.m. and running straight through until completion. 
 Held alongside the FILA Junior Nationals/World Team Trials is the annual Great Lakes Festival, a youth wrestling tournament featuring top wrestlers from Indiana and the surrounding states. Wrestlers from elementary school through high school will participate in this annual competition. 
 For more ticket and hotel information, contact Bob Harreld, Tournament Director at 317-844-7751.