58 kg Freestyle World Championships Preview

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
09/05/2001


This weight class may be without a single 2000 Olympic medalist from Sydney, opening the doors to many potential contenders for the title.    2000 Olympic champion and 1998 World Champion Ali Reza Dabier of Iran has successfully moved up to 63 kg pounds this year. 2000 Olympic silver medalist Yevgen Buslovich of Ukraine is not listed as the entry from Ukraine. 2000 Olympic bronze medalist Terry Brands of the United States has retired. It is possible that there will be an entirely new set of medalists just one year after the Sydney Olympics.    The top returnee from the Sydney Games may be Damir Zakhartdinov of Uzbekistan, who was fourth, losing to Brands in the bronze-medal match. Zakhartdinov wrestled at 63 kg at the World Cup, but has dropped back to his original weight class. He was third in the 1999 World meet.    Talented Harun Dogan of Turkey, a 1999 World Champion and 1998 World silver medalist, was eliminated early in Sydney. He is listed as one of the three possible choices for Turkey at this weight, and if he comes to New York, he will be among the top favorites to win.    Another veteran who fell short in Sydney but has tremendous past success is Canada's Giuvi Sissaouri. He was a 1996 Olympic silver medalist, and has won three World Championships medals. When he is wrestling well, he has the potential to take it all.    Other top placewinners in Sydney who will be entered in New York are David Pogosian of Georgia and Martin Berberyan of Armenia.  As with every other weight class, the competitors from the former Soviet republics are always talented and dangerous.    The American entry, Eric Guerrero, was seventh in the 1999 World Championships, and will be seeking his first World medal. Guerrero has improved since his last World appearance, with more experience and confidence than ever.    Russia was represented by veteran Murad Ramazanov in Sydney, but could feature Leonid Chouchonov or a young newcomer this time around. Iran  will replace Dabir with Bahman Tayebi, who was 13th in the Sydney Games at 54 kg,  or untested Masoud Mostafa Joukar. Tayebi won the gold medal at the 2001 Asian Championships.    Ukraine's entry is Vasil Fedoryshyn, who placed a strong second at the 2001 European Championships. Cuba will be represented by 2001 Pan American champion Yandro Quintana or  talented young Yeondris Albear, both medal hopefuls.    The 2001 European champion is Zsolt Bankuti of Hungary, who has developed into a serious contender. Aliaksandr Karnitski of Belarus was third at the European Championships, and Andrej Fasanek of Slovakia placed fourth.   Other wrestlers of note include Abil Ibragimov of Kazakhstan, Michele Liuzzi of Italy, Arif Abdullayev of Azerbaijan and Song Jae-Myung of Korea.    If the draw holds form from previous years, there will be a few very important clashes right away in the pool competitions. In Sydney, a number of veterans were eliminated right off the bat in this weight class. The World Championships will provide these athletes with another chance to return to glory, while offering some talented newcomers a shot at establishing themselves. The pressing question is whether experience or youth will be served.    FREESTYLE  58 kg/127.75 lbs. (35 athletes as of 9/6)  Aremnia - Martin Berberyan  Azerbaijan - Rza Khalilov or Arif Aduallayev  Belarus - Aliaksandr Karnitski or Aliaksandr Huzau  Brazil - Yuri Estevao  Bulgaria - Anatolie Guidea or Safet Mumun  Canada - Giuvi Sissaouri  Chinese Taipei  - Chen Jiu-Hsein  Cuba - Yandro Quintana or Yeondris Albear  Czech Republic - Ludek Burian  Egypt - Aly Abhout Taleb Mohammed Assan  Estonia - Jaanek Lips  Georgia - David Pogosian, George Kharebava or Zviad Gvilava  Germany - Othmar Kuhner, Daniel Wilde or Mario Koch  Great Britain - Andrew Hutchinson  Guinea-Bissau - Flavio L.J. Gomes  Hungary - Zsolt Bankuti  India - Sushil Kumar  Iran - Bahman Tayebi Kermani or Masoud Mostafa Joukar  Italy - Michele Liuzzi  Japan - Hiroki Sekikawa  Kazakhstan - Abil Ibragimov  Korea - Song Jae-Myung  Madagascar - Francois Rakotoarinala  Mongolia - L. Enkbayar  Nigeria - Tebe Dorgu or Kema Idabor  Peru - Sidney Guzman Villacorta  Poland - Lukasz Goral  Romania - Petru Toarca  Russia - Leonid Tchouchonov   Slovakia - Andrej Fasanek  Turkey- Harun Dogan, Tevfik Odabas or Arif Kama  Ukraine - Vasyl Fedoryshyn  United States - Eric Guerrero  Uzbekistan - Damir Zakhartdinov  Yemen - Hassan Saleh Al-Sharjabi    Starting on September 4th, TheMat.com will publish a preview each day for an individual weight class that will be contested at the 2001 World Championships of Wrestling. All 22 weight classes that will be contested in New York City will be featured, concluding on Tuesday, September 25, the day of weigh-ins for the tournament. Visit TheMat.com daily for detailed coverage leading up to wrestling's most important event this year!!!