Armenia has submitted its roster of athletes who are expected to compete in the 2003 World Championships of Freestyle Wrestling in New York City, 12-14 September. The tournament will feature the world's best men and women freestyle wrestlers, competing in the world's most famous sports arena, Madison Square Garden. The World Championships of Freestyle Wrestling is also a qualifying event for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. Women's wrestling will be contested in the Olympics for the first time ever in Athens. Armenia will enter five men's freestyle wrestlers in the competition. A number of these athletes are proven international wrestling stars, including a pair of World Champions. Three-time World Champion Arayik Gevorgyan will compete at 74 kg/163 lbs. Gevorgyan claimed his World gold medals in 1995, 1997 and 1998. He was fifth in the 1996 Olympic Games and seventh in the 2000 Olympic Games. He claimed an European Championships gold medal in 1998. The Armenian team will also be led by Aram Markaryan, the 2002 World Champion at 60 kg/132 lbs. Markaryan lost to Turkey's Harun Dogan in the championship finals at the World Championships in Iran, but Dogan was later disqualified for a positive doping test. Olympian Martin Berberyan will compete at 55 kg/121 lbs. Berberyan placed sixth in the 2000 Olympic Games and was fourth in the 1999 World Championships and fifth in 2002 World Championships. Mamed Agaev, who was second in the 2003 European Championships, will compete at 84 kg/185 lbs. Also on the Armenian team is Zhirayr Hovhannisyan at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. A total of 40 nations have sent in their preliminary registration materials to USA Wrestling, indicating their plans to attend the competition. Many more nations are expected to indicate their desire to participate in the upcoming weeks. The nations who have confirmed participation at this time are: Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Cameroon, China, Cuba, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Guinea-Bissau, Iceland, Iran, Italy, Japan, Korea, Lithuania, Macedonia, Mauritania, Mongolia, Namibia, New Zealand, Phillippines, Poland, Russian Federation, Senegal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United States, Uzbekistan. Tickets are on sale now for the 2003 World Championships of Freestyle Wrestling. Organizers are expecting a sellout for the Saturday and Sunday sessions. To get the good seats now, call 1-877-NYC2003. ARMENIA Men's freestyle team 55 kg/121 lbs. - Martin Berberyan 60 kg/132 lbs. - Aram Margaryan 66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Zhirayr Hovhannisyan 74 kg/163 lbs. - Arayik Gevorgyan 84 kg/185 lbs. - Mamed Agaev Coaches: Hrant Yenokyan, Oleg Adyan, Arayik Badgdadyan Referee: Samvel Harutyunyan Doctor: Vahram Harutyunyan Interpreter: Kristine Yeghiazaryan Delegates: Ishkhan Zakaryan, Stepan Sargysyan, Samvel Aleksnyan, Vahram Arakyan