The most exciting athlete at this weight division is Armen Nazarian of Bulgaria, who captured the 2002 European title at 60 kg. Nazarian won the 1996 Olympic title competing for Armenia at 52 kg, then moved up in weight to 58 kg and claimed the 2000 Olympics for his new nation, Bulgaria. He has also won three World bronze medals. He is a tremendous talent who has a reputation for lifting and throwing his opponents for the fall.    Nazarian dropped to fourth at the 2001 World Championships. The reigning World champion is Dilshod Aripov of Uzbekistan, who defeated Karen Mnatskanyan of Armenia in the gold-medal finals. Aripov made a big step forward last year, after placing 11th at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Mnatskanyan was fourth at this year's European Championships.     2001 World bronze medalist Roberto Monzon of Cuba is also a top challenger for the title. Monzon won the 2002 Pan American Championships title, defending his Pan Am gold medal from 2001. Monzon is still dealing with the disappointment of not competing in the 2000 Olympics, when his nation did not qualify at his weight class.    The surprise entry here could be Poland's Wlodzimierz Zawadzki, the 1996 Olympic champion at 62 kg. Zawadzki has dropped to 60 kg  and won the gold medal at the Pytlasinki Tournament in Poland, the final tune-up event for the World Championships. Zawadzki was up at 66 kg for the 2002 European Championships, where he was 11th. If he can handle the weight cut, Zawadzki is a proven winner who might take it all.    Placing high at the 2001 World Championships were Makoto Sasamoto of Japan (5th), Ali Ashkani of Iran (6th) and Djamel Ainaoui of France (7th). All three have the potential to move into the medal rounds at the World meet.     Ashkani was fifth in the Sydney Olympics and won the 2000 Asian Championships. Ashkani was also the 2002 University World Champion. Sasamoto was eighth at the Sydney Olympics and won the 2002 Hungarian Grand Prix. Ainaoui was third at the 2002 European Championships.    Jim Gruenwald of the United States must be considered a top threat, as well. Just to make the U.S. team, he had to beat Dennis Hall, who boasts three World-level medals. Gruenwald placed sixth at the 2000 Olympics and 10th at the 2001 World Championships. Gruenwald lost in the Pan Am finals this year to Monzon, and also was second behind Nazarian at a tournament in Bulgaria this winter.    Kang Kyung Il of Korea was eighth at the 2001 World Championships, and won an international tournament in Italy this winter. Another Korean option could be Jung Kyung-Ho, who was second at the World University Championships in Canada.    Russia did not place in the top 10 at the 2001 World meet, but hopes to return to prominence with Rustem Mambetov, who was second at the 2002 European Championships. Another possible Russian entry is Valeri Nikonoriv of Russia, who was seventh at the 2000 Olympics.     1998 World silver medalist Marian Sandu of Romania is still competing, placing ninth at the 2001 World Championships. The 2001 European champion Petre Svehla of the Czech Republic is always considered a top challenger. Marko Isokoski of Finland was fifth at the 2002 European Championships and is an experienced veteran. Finland could also go with Jarko Ala-Huikku, who was third at the 2002 University Worlds.     Another athlete with potential is Natig Eyvazov of Azerbaijan, who was seventh in the 2000 Olympic Games at 54 kg, and placed sixth at the 2002 Europeans at this weight class. The top Turkish athlete in recent years has been Seref Tufenk, who was 10th in the European Championships this year and fifth a year ago. Riccardo Magni of Italy placed eighth at this weight class in the 2002 European Championships. Magni competed in the 2000 Olympics at 63 kg and placed 14th, but did have a win over American Kevin Bracken in his pool in Sydney.    Two-time World champion Rifat Yildiz of Germany placed fourth in the Sydney Games, but he has not competed since. The German entry has been Eduard Kratz, who was ninth at the 2002 Europeans and won a silver medal at the Trophe Milone in Italy this winter.      Aleksandr Chwoszcz of Ukraine was second at the Ptylasinki Tournament in Poland, the top pre-World tournament. Another Ukrainian, Aleksandr Giewarkjan, was fifth in Poland. The Ukrainian entry at the 2002 Europeans was Sergey Belobaba, who finished 13th. Others to watch include Eusebiu Diaconu of Romania, Ashraf El Garably of Egypt, Constantin Borascu of Romania and Nepes Gukulov of Turkmenistan.    In spite of not winning a medal last year, Nazarian of Bulgaria is always a good pick to win any tournament. Reigning World Champion Aripov of Uzbekistan looks to defend his title against a very difficult field. The most interesting entry would be Poland's Zawadzki, who looks to return to stardom by dropping in weight. American fans hope that after a few close calls, Gruenwald is primed to win his first World medal this year.     2001 World Championships results    58 kg/127.75 lbs. - Gold - Dilshod Aripov (Uzbekistan) dec. Karen Mnatskanyan (Armenia), 6-3; Bronze  - Roberto Monzon (Cuba) dec. Armen Nazarian (Bulgaria), 3-1, ot, 6:08; 5th - Makoto Sasamoto (Japan); 6th - Ali Ashkani (Iran); 7th - Djamel Ainaoui (France); 8th - Kang Kyung Il (Korea); 9th - Marian Sandu (Romania); 10th - Jim Gruenwald (United States)    2000 Olympic Games results   58 kg/127.75 lbs. - Gold - Armen Nazarian (Bulgaria) pin Kim In-Sub (Korea), 2:34; Bronze - Zetian Sheng (China) won by ref. dec. over Rifat Yildiz (Germany), 2-1, ot, 9:00; 5th - Ali Ashkani (Iran); 6th - Jim Gruenwald (United States); 7th - Valeri Nikonoriv (Russia); 8th - Makota Sasamoto (Japan); 9th - Constantin Borascu (Romania); 10th - Nepes Gukulov (Turkmenistan); 11th - Dilshod Aripov (Uzbekistan); 12th - Djamel Ainaoui (France); 13th - Igor Petrenko (Belarus); 14th - Koba Guliashvili (Georgia); 15th - Karen Mnatsakanyan (Armenia); 16th - Oleksan Stepanyan (Ukraine); 17th - Brett Cash (Australia); 18th - Istvan Majoros (Hungary); 19th - Yuriy Melnitchenko (Kazakhstan); 20th - Mohammed Barguaoui (Tunisia)    Each day this week, TheMat.com will preview a weight class at the 2002 World Greco-Roman Championships, set for Moscow, Russia, Sept. 19-21. 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