The top star is four-time World Champion Kyoko Hamaguchi of Japan, who beat young Wang Xu of China in the gold-medal finals last year. She is a big-time sports hero in Japan, and a ton of Japanese media will be in New York to follow her and the rest of the Japanese team on their way to glory. Hamaguchi is strong and experienced, and has set the standard for all athletes competing at this division. With the Olympics less than a year away, the pressure on Hamaguchi to carry the banner for Japan will increase tremendously.    Hamaguchi can be beaten, as attested by her fourth place in the 2001 World Championships and bronze medal at the 2000 World meet. A couple of her World finals victories were over American Kristie Marano, who, ironically, has dropped two weight classes since competing at this division. Until proven otherwise, Hamaguchi is the favorite in every tournament she enters.    Xu is young, strong and confident, but does not have as much experience on the international circuit as many of the other top challengers. The World Championships in New York will be a good test to see if she has consistency. China has done well in this weight class in the past, so Xu must be expected to be ready again.    Edyta Witkowska of Poland was the 2001 World Champion, placed third last year and was second in the world in 2000. She has been consistently among the top athletes in this division, making her a regular challenger for top honors. She did not compete at the European meet this year, with teammate Monika Kowalska taking the bronze. Kowalska has dropped to 67 kg.    Toccara Montgomery of the USA was second in the 2001 Worlds at 68 kg and was named the FILA Women's Wrestler of the Year. She jumped up to the Olympic weight class last, and dropped to 10th at this new weight division. Her loss in the pool was to China's Wang Xu. Montgomery is physically talented and has a "pinner's" instinct, something that has helped her defeat top competitors.    This season in the USA, Montgomery had a nice rivalry with young Samantha Lang, a good test for her on a regular basis. She has also battled Canada's Ohenewa Okuffo a number of times, including pinning Okuffo in the finals of the Pan American Games. After more than a year at the division, Montgomery wrestles much more like a heavyweight, and she should be in top form in New York.    Akuffo is a past World placewinner for Canada, but her main claim to fame is just making the Canadian team. She had to get by Christine Nordhagen-Vierling, a six-time World champion and one of the greatest women wrestlers in history. Akuffo also boasts a victory over Hamaguchi within the past few seasons, something that shows she can wrestle well against top rivals. Montgomery has beaten Akuffo every time they wrestled, except once, but again that victory shows that Akuffo is capable of battling with everybody.    Germany has two strong athletes, past World medalists Anita Schatzle or Nina Englich. Schatzle was the choice last year, and placed ninth in the World meet at his division. She also claimed the European gold medal in 2003. Englisch was a World bronze medalist in 2001. Either choice is good for Germany, which should be a medal contender at this division for a long time.    Among the medal contenders last season were Zarife Yilidrim of Turkey, Katerina Halova of the Czech Republic and Galina Ivanova of Bulgaria. Yilidrim was fourth, Halova fifth and Ivanova sixth at the World meet in Halkida, Greece in 2002.    Yilidrim may be the most talented athlete on the Turkish team, which is just getting its women's program going. Halova is a proven star, placing second in the European Championships this year. Halova was fourth in the 2000 World Championships, making a shot at winning a medal very achievable. Ivanova is not listed on the Bulgarian roster, replaced by Stanka Zlateva who was a World placewinner at 67 kg last year and was fourth in the European Championships this year at this weight.    Russia has an emerging star in Svetlana Martinenko, who was a 2002 European champion. There is no guarantee that Martinenko will be the Russian entry in New York, as the roster includes a number of other options. Competing at this division in the European Championships was Anna Shamova, a past World medalist in the weight class below. Perhaps Shamova will move up for the World meet also, but with Russia, you just never know in advance.    Others to watch are Svitlana Sayenko of Ukraine and Katarzyna Juszczak of Italy, both World placewinners a year ago. Juszczak was sixth at the European Championships this year, while Ukraine entered its 67 kg World champion Katerina Burmistrova, who was a disappointing 10th against the bigger women.     Winning a bronze medal at the Pan American Games in August was Yasmili Ramos of Venezuela, who edged Brazil's Juliana Borges in the third-place match. Ramos won a Pan American Championships silver medal in 2002, and was a World placewinner in 2001.    The Asian Championships were not well attended by top athletes in this division in 2003, and the champion was Svetlana Shevichnazov of Kazakhstan. Kang Min-Jeong of Korea won the silver medal and Ochirbat Burmaa of Mongolia won the bronze medal. Kang was sixth in the 2001 World Championships, as well. These athletes are looking to make a breakthrough on the world level in New York.    Aikaterini Siavou of Greece, who was fifth in the World Championships last year at 67 kg, is listed on the roster competing at this division. Among others in the field who have the experience to be a factor in the division are Martina Gastl of Austria, Diana Jautruma of Latvia and either Caroline Dos Santos or Fanny Gai of France.    With spots in the 2004 Olympic Games up for grabs, this weight class should be very competitive. Hamaguchi of Japan is the clear favorite, but Witkowska of Poland was a World Champion two seasons ago and should be equally confident. Xu of China will be a champion contender, as will the North American duo of Montgomery of the USA and Akuffo of Canada. Germany's entry, either Schatzle or Englisch, will also be a medal favorite. Russia is always difficult at this division, and a number of other nations may have strong challengers in the field in New York. Expect a battle in the medal rounds, and watch to see if Montgomery wrestles with extra passion and purpose for the American fans.     RECENT WORLD RESULTS    2002 World Championships results  72 kg/158.5 lbs. - 1st - Kyoko Hamaguchi (Japan) dec. Wang Xu (China), 5-1; 3rd - Edyte Witkowska (Poland) won by ref. dec. over Zarife Yilidrim (Turkey), 2-0, ot, 9:00; 5th - Katerina Halova (Czech Rep.); 6th - Galina Ivanova (Bulgaria); 7th - Svitlana Sayenko (Ukraine); 8th - Katarzyna Juszczak (Italy); 9th - Anita Schatzle (Germany); 10th - Toccara Montgomery (USA)    2001 World Championships results   75 kg/165.25 - Gold - Edyta Witkowska (Poland) dec. Ma Bailing (China), 6-0; Bronze  - Nina Englisch (Germany) pin Kyoko Hamaguchi (Japan); 5th - Jenna Pavlik (USA); 6th - Kang Min-Jeong (Korea); 7th - Tetyana Komarnitska (Ukraine); 8th - Yasmili Ramos (Venezuela); 9th - Zumrud Kurbangadzieva (Russia); 10th - Akuffo Ohenewa (Canada)    2000 World Championships results   75 kg/165.25 lbs. - Gold - Christine Nordhagen-Vierling (Canada); Silver - Edyta Witkowska (Poland); Bronze -  Kyoko Hamaguchi (Japan); 4th - Katerina Halova (Czech Rep.); 5th - Nina Englich (Germany); 6th - Sumrud Kurbangadshieva (Russia); 7th - Iris Smith (USA); 8th -Heidi Hannele Martti (Finland); 9th - Elisaveta Toleva (Bulgaria); 10th - Jo-Mei Wang (Taipei)    1999 World Championships results   75 kg/165.25 lbs. - 1st - Kyoko Hamaguchi (Japan) pin Kristie Marano (USA), 5:18; 3rd - Christine Nordhagen (Canada) pin Elvira Barriga (Austria), 0:17; 5th - Edyta Witkowska (Poland); 6th -  Yana Panova (Kyrgyzstan); 7th - Heidi Martti (Finland); 8th - May Bente Eriksson (Norway); 9th (tie) - Tatijana Komarnitzkaja (Ukraine) and Jelena Jirnova (Russia)    TENTATIVE ENTRIES, as of 8/25  72 kg/158.5 lbs.   AUSTRALIA - Phillipa Katoniunaulifu  AUSTRIA - Marina Gastl  BELARUS - Alena Babak  BULGARIA - Stanka Zlateva  CAMAROON -  Laure Ali A