The reigning World Champion is Cuba's Roberto Montero, who defeated 2000 Olympic Champion Namik Abdullayev of Azerbaijan in the gold-medal finals last year. It was Montero's first major Senior-level victory. Since, Montero has lost some matches, including bouts to U.S. wrestlers Sammie Henson and Stephen Abas. With a loaded weight class, Montero will have to be at his best to win a second straight World gold medal. He is quick and strong and confident, which means he will be ready for New York.    Abdullayev has been a World-level star for many years. He beat Sammie Henson of the USA in the Olympic finals in Sydney, a controversial bout because of his pulling on Henson's singlet throughout the match. In the 1996 Olympic gold-medal match he lost a controversial decision to the legendary Valentin Jordanov of Bulgaria, which many believe Abduallyev should have won. He is an exciting athlete with tremendous skills. He is still competing at his prime, as evidenced by his victory at the challenging European Championships this year.    Ukraine's Oleksander Zakharuk was the 2002 World bronze medalist and placed fifth at the 2000 Olympic Games. He has also won European titles, showing that he can compete with the world's top wrestlers when he is wrestling well.    The three medalists at 54 kg from 2001 were champion Herman Kontoev of Belarus, silver medalist Babak Nourzad of Iran and bronze medalist Alexander Kontoev of Russia. The only one of these medalists who are certain to compete this year is Herman Kontoev, who is the only entry listed by Belarus at his division. He will be expected to be in the medal race this year, after not entering the World meet last year.    Amiran Kartanov of Greece was a 2000 Olympic bronze medalist at 54 kg and remains a threat. His second place at the 2003 European Championships is a strong indication that he is ready for another run at an Olympic medal. With the Olympics in Greece, he is guaranteed a spot in the field, and will look to be a hero in his nation.    Stephen Abas of the United States has beaten many of these past medalists, but has yet to capture his own World-level medal. His only chance at a medal came in 2001, when he was defeated by German Kontoev of Belarus in his pool in a very close battle. In 2002, he was ready, but had to stay home with his teammates when the trip to Iran was cancelled for security reasons.    Abas has since defeated Kontoev, and his victory over reigning World Champion Montero at the Pan American Games a few weeks ago gives him great confidence going forward. He was a 1998 Junior World Champion and has won the World Cup a few times. Of the American wrestlers, he is one of the top gold-medal hopefuls in New York based upon recent success. His takedown attack is among the best, and he has become dangerous on the mat, the kind of skills that can win big tournaments.    Russia and Iran may be testing the field with some new athletes. Mavlet Batirov, who placed third at the European Championships, is the first name listed on the roster, ahead of Alexandre Kontoev or Jargal Dondoupov. Although he has yet to test himself at a World Championships, he becomes an instant contender just by making the Russian team.     The new Iranian entry is Mohammed Aslani, who captured the Asian Championships gold medal this year. Iran has a tradition of success at this division, with recent medals from Babak Nourzad and Gholam Reza Mohammadi. Nobody will want to draw Aslani in their pool competition, especially with the loud and supportive Iranian rooting section expected in New York City.    Another traditional power that should have a competitive entry is Turkey, who has listed Ramazan Demir or Mevana Kulac as their entry possibilities. Demir was fourth at the 2003 European Championships, and Kulac was ninth in the 2001 World Championships, both competitive at the World-class level.    There are a number of talents from former Soviet republics, all who have a chance to challenge for medals. Uzbekistan has listed Dilshod Mansurov as its entry, who placed seventh in the 2001 World Championships. They also boast Adcham Achilov, fourth last year at the World Championships and eighth at the 2000 Olympic Games.    Martin Berberyan of Armenia was fifth at the World Championships last year, and was sixth in the 2003 European Championships. Oularbek Tuganbay of Kyrgyzstan was seventh in 2001 World meet, but is not listed in the preliminary entry lists. Maulen Mamyrov, who was fourth in the 2001 World Championships and sixth in the 2000 Olympics, is one of three possible entries from Kazakhstan. Goha Kirkitadze of Georgia was sixth in the 2001 World Championships, but the entry listed by Georgia is Besarion Gochashvili. Ghenadie Tulbea of Moldova is another talent with a Soviet wrestling background.     There are a number of talented stars from Asia, as well. Chihara Tanabe of Japan placed sixth at the 2002 World Championships. Tumendemberel Zuunbayan of Mongolia was fifth in the 2001 World Championships and eighth last year at the Worlds. Yang Jae-Hoon of Korea was second in the 2003 Asian Championships. Kripa Shankar Patel of India, the 2003 Asian bronze medalist, has also been competitive. Historically, athletes from Asia do very well in the lightest weight classes, and this year should be no exception.    There is tremendous experience in this division, and placing in the top 10 is no easy trick. Veterans like Ivan Djorev of Bulgaria, Mikhail Japaridze of Canada, Ludek Burian of the Czech Republic and Vasilij Zeiher of Germany have the ability to win their pool and move into medal contention.     Japaridze is well known in North America, placing second in the 2003 Pan American Championships and third in the 2003 Pan American Games. Although he may be overshadowed by his American and Cuban opponents, he has the ability to win against top international athletes and may be one of Canada's best medal hopefuls.    This weight class has traditionally been very difficult to defend a World or Olympic title. Adbullayev and Kontoev fell short the year after winning golds, and Montero will be placed in the same challenging position this year. We can expect some tremendous early matches here, especially if the random draw puts a few stars in the same pool. American fans will be cheering for Stephen Abas, who seems poised to break through and take his place among the world's best. With possible newcomers from Russia and Iran, there could be a shakeup in this division if the veterans are not properly prepared. The speed and technique at this division can be awe-inspiring and should be fun to watch from the opening whistle.    RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS  2002 World Championships results  55 kg/121 lbs.  - Gold - Roberto Montero (Cuba) dec. Namik Abduallayev (Azerbaijan), 4-1; Bronze - Oleksander Zakharuk (Ukraine) dec. Adcham Achilov (Uzbekistan), 3-1; 5th - Martin Berberyan (Armenia); 6th -  Chikara Tanabe (Japan); 7th - Oularbek Tuganbay (Kyrgyzstan); 8th - Zunbayan Tumendemberel (Mongolia); 9th - K. Kumar (India); 10th - Ercan Cetin (Turkey)    2001 World Championships results  54 kg/119 lbs. - Gold - Herman Kantoyev (Belarus) dec. Babak Nourzad (Iran), 5-1; Bronze - Alexander Kantoyev (Russia) dec. Maulen Mamyrov (Kazakhstan), 4-1; 5th - Tumendemberel Zuunbayan (Mongolia); 6th - Goha Kirkitadze (Georgia); 7th - Dilshod Mansurov (Uzbekistan); 8th - Arif Farmanov (Azerbaidjan); 9th - Mevlana Kulac (Turkey); 10th - Amiran Kardanov (Greece)    2000 Olympic Games results  54 kg/119 lbs. - Gold - Namik Abdullayev (Azerbaijan) dec. Sammie Henson (United States), 4-3; Bronze - Amiran Kartanov (Greece) dec. German Kontoev (Belarus), 5-4; 5th - Oleksandr Zakharuk (Ukraine); 6th - Maulen Mamyrov (Kazakhstan); 7th - Vitalie Railean (Moldova); 8th - Adkhamjon Achilov (Uzbekistan); 9th - Jin Ju Dong (People's Republic of Korea); 10th - Chikara Tanabe (Japan); 11th - Nurdin Donbaev (Kyrgyzstan); 12th - Leonid Tchouchounov (Russia); 13th - Behnam Tayebi (Iran); 14th - Wilfredo Garcia (Cuba); 15th - Vasilij Zeiher (Germany); 16th - Tumendemberel Zuunbayan (Mongolia); 17th - Moon Myung-Seok (Korea); 18th - Martin Liddle (