The first group of U.S. wrestlers have weighed in at the 1997 Greco-Roman World Championships in Wroclaw, Poland, Sept. 10-13.Leading the first group is 1996 U.S. Olympic Team member David Zuniga (New Brighton, Minn./Minnesota Storm) at 63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Zuniga, who placed 10th in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Ga., will face Matyas Megyes of Hungary in the first round. This is Zuniga's third straight appearance in a World Championships. He placed fourth in 1994.
Another veteran of World Championship competition in the first group is Randy Couture (Corvallis, Ore./Sunkist Kids) at 97 kg/213.75 lbs.
Couture, a three-time national champion, will be competing in his fourth World Championships. In the first round, he will face Ali Mollov of Bulgaria.
Competing in their first World Championships are Broderick Lee (Portland, Ore./Peninsula WC) at 54 kg/119 lbs. and Matt Lindland (Lincoln, Neb./Sunkist Kids) at 76 kg/167.5 lbs.
Lee, the 1997 national champion, will face Joachim Soederman of Sweden in first round action.
Lindland, a 1996 World Cup Champion, will face Marko Yli-Hannuksela of Finland in the first round. Lindland recently won the Pytlasinski Grand Prix Tournament in Poznan, Poland. The Grand Prix is a top international competition and is used by many countries as a tuneup for the World Championships.
First round action will take place Wednesday, Sept. 10 from 12:00-3:00 a.m. (MDT). The second and third rounds are scheduled for 8:00-11:00 a.m.
The second group of U.S. Wrestlers will also weigh-in on Wednesday at 9:00-9:30 a.m. Group two is made up of 1995 World Champion Dennis Hall (Stevens Point, Wis./Sunkist Kids) at 58 kg/127.75 lbs., Chris Saba (Colorado Springs, Colo./NYAC) at 69 kg/152 lbs., two-time Olympian Dan Henderson (Huntington Beach, Calif./Dave Schultz WC) at 85 kg/187.25 lbs. and 1996 World Cup champion Rulon Gardner, (Mesa, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) at 130 kg/286 lbs.
1997 Greco-Roman World Championships
Wroclaw, Poland, Sept 10-13
Group One Pairings
54 kg/119 lbs. - Broderick Lee, Portland, Ore. vs. Joachim Soederman (Sweden)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - David Zuniga, New Brighton, Minn. vs. Matyas Megyes (Hungary)
76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Matt Lindland, Lincoln, Neb. vs. Marko Yli-Hannuksela (Finland)
97 kg/213.75 lbs. - Randy Couture, Corvallis, Ore. vs. Ali Mollov (Bulgaria)