Host Greece celebrated a World Champion last year, when Sofia Poumbouridou of Greece upset Chiharu Icho of Japan in the World finals in Halkida. It was the best performance of her career, and an indication that she will be a serious threat this year. She claimed a European title in 2001, but was only ninth in the World Championships that year.    Japan is always tough here, with two-time World Champion Hitomi Sakamoto also available, in addition to World silver medalist Icho. Based upon recent dominance at this division, whichever Japanese athlete is in the lineup in New York will be expected to challenge for the title.    Natalia Golts of Russia won the bronze medal last year in Halkida. She is not expected to be the Russian entry this year, just like Poumbouridou may not compete for Greece here. Golts won the 2003 European Championships at 55 kg/121 lbs., defeating Poumbouridou in the championship finals. Both athletes have moved up to compete at an Olympic weight, and based upon their European finish, both are top hopefuls at their new division.    Russia is expected to enter Natalia Karamchakova here, especially after she won the European gold medal at 51 kg. She defeated Ida Hellstrom of Sweden in the finals, but Hellstrom is expected to drop back to 48 kg again for the World meet. Karamtchakova has placed as high as fifth at the World Championships in 1999 and 2000, but will be expected to be in the medal rounds this time around.    The quality of this division could be depleted, as athletes who have wrestled here move up or down to an Olympic division. For example, Canada's Lyndsay Belisle was fourth last year, but has dropped to 48 kg. Canada's entry will be Teresa Piotrowski, a veteran who should handle the challenge here well.    The U.S. entry is Jenny Wong, competing at her first Women's World meet. She won the World Team Trials last year, but was beaten in a Special Wrestle-off by Stephanie Murata. After winning the Trials again this season, Wong defeated Clarissa Chun in a Special Wrestle-off for the team spot. Wong has been increasing her international competition, and had a medal performance in Russia this year. Wong has improved since moving full-time to Colorado Springs to train, and should be ready to put on a great show for the U.S. fans in New York.    Viktorya Brandush of Ukraine, M. Ugrun Percin of Turkey, Magdelena Arellano of Mexico and Alena Kareisha of Belarus were all World placewinners last year. The only one from this bunch to appear in the preliminary entry lists is Kareisha, who was sixth at the 2002 European Championships. Kariesha did win a bronze medal at the 2001 European event, making her a competitor worth watching.    European bronze medalist Alexandra Demmel of Germany, fourth-place placer Anne Catherine Delunche of France and fifth-place finisher Inessa Rebar of Ukraine do appear on the entry lists for their nation at this weight class. All come from competitive women's wrestling programs, and should be expected to be in the hunt for medals. Rebar was fourth in the 2000 World Championships, making her a legitimate medal contender.    China will be represented by Wen Juling, who was seventh at the World Championships last year.     There were four competitors at the Asian Championships at this division in 2003, and none of them are on the entry lists for New York. On thie list is India's Neha, who was third in the Commonwealth Championships this year, behind two Canadians. According to preliminary entries, Korea will be represented by Lee Na-Lae, Mongolia by Yura Gaudolgot, Chinese Taipei by Wu Li Chuan and Uzbekistan by Dinara Mirzaeva. There are more Asian competitors signed up for the World meet than showed up at the Asian Championships in India this year. How these individuals will fare in the World Championships is very difficult to handicap.    Norway's Nora Lavstad was fourth in the 2003 European Championships at 48 kg, but will face larger opponents up at this weight division. Greece will enter Mersini Koloni, rather than the defending World Champion Poumbouridou.     The weight class was contested in the Pan American Championships this spring, but was not one of the four divisions at the Pan American Games in August. The USA and Canada did not enter athletes in the Pan Am Championships at this weight. None of the three medalists from that event show up on a roster for the World meet (although some could still show up).    With many unknown and untested athletes in this division, the talented veterans will be heavily favored, especially Japan's Sakamoto or Icho. Russia's Karamtchakova will have a chance to claim her first World title. America's Wong will have a tremendous opportunity to make her name on the international level with a strong performance. The battle in the pools should be outstanding, as making it into championship bracket will guarantee a high placement.     RECENT WORLD RESULTS    2002 World Championships results  51 kg/112.25 lbs. - 1st - Sofia Poumbouridou (Greece) dec. Chiharu Icho (Japan), 3-0, ot; 3rd - Natalia Golts (Russia) dec. Lyndsay Belisle (Canada), 3-0; 5th - Viktorya Brandush (Ukraine); 6th - M.Ugrun Percin (Turkey); 7th - Wen Juling (China); 8th -  M. Magdelena Arellano (Mexico); 9th - Alena Kareisha (Belarus); 10th - Stephanie Murata (USA)    2001 World Championships results   51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Gold  - Hitomi Sakamoto (Japan) won by tech. fall over Stephanie Murata (USA), 12-1, 4:59; Bronze  - Gao Yanzhi (China) pin Lindsay Belisle (Canada); 5th - Natalia Karamthakova (Russia); 6th - Vanena Boobryem (France); 7th - Djulia Okot (Bulgaria); 8th - Alena Kareisha (Belarus); 9th - Sofia Poubouridou (Greece); 10th - Inesa Rebar (Ukraine)    2000 World Championships results   51 kg/112.25 lbs - Gold - Hitomi Sakamoto (Japan); Silver - Patricia Miranda (USA); Bronze - Ida Hellstrom (Sweden); 4th - Inna Rebar (Ukraine); 5th - Elena Egochina (Russia); 6th - Magdalena Arellano Morelos (Mexico); 7th -  Yvonne Hees (Germany); 8th - Faira Bjaoui (Tunisia); 9th - Li-Chuan Wu (Taipei); 10th - Marta Wojtanowska (Poland)    1999 World Championships results   51 kg/112.25 lbs -  1st - Seiko Yamamoto (Japan) dec. Erica Sharpe (Canada), 6-4; 3rd - Yanchi Gao (China) won by ref. dec. over Stephanie Murata (United States), 2-1, ot, 9:00; 5th - Natalia Karamtjakova (Russia); 6th - Ida Hellstrom (Sweden); 7th - Anne Catherine Deluntsch (France); 8th - Annett Kamke (Germany); 9th - Yulianni Orellana (Venezuela); 10th - Margarita Starikova (Latvia)    TENTATIVE ENTRIES, as of 8/21  AUSTRIA- Alexandra Hinterbauer   BELARUS - Alena Kareisha  CAMAROON - Michiel Tom G Mam  CANADA - Teresa Piotrowski or Sarah White  CHINA - Wen Juling  CHINESE TAIPEI - Wu Li Chuan  CZECH REPUBLIC - Andrea Friedrichova  FRANCE - Anne Catherine Delunche or Juliette Willocq  GERMANY - Alexandra Demmel or Nicole Hauptmann  GREECE - Mersini Koloni  INDIA - Neha  JAPAN - Hitomi Sakamoto or Chiharu Icho  KOREA - Lee Na-Lae  KYRGYZSTAN - Alfia Zaynulina  MONGOLIA - Yura Gaudolgot  NORWAY - Nora Lainstad  POLAND - Elzbieta Stryczek  RUSSIA - Natalia Karamchakova  SENEGAL- Evelyne Diatta  TAJIKISTAN - Natasha Nikitenko   UKRAINE - Rebar Inessa  UNITED STATES- Jenny Wong  UZBEKISTAN - Dinara Mirzaeva    Starting August 18, TheMat.com will preview one weight class each day for the 2003 World Championships of Freestyle Wrestling at Madison Square Garden in New York City, Sept. 12-14. Please visit TheMat.com each day for a new preview of the championships. To discuss the World Championships with other fans, please visit the International Board and the Women's Wrestling Board on TheMat.com Message Boards.