Perhaps the most consistent Greco-Roman wrestler in the USA for the last few seasons has been Brad Vering, who placed fifth at the last two World Championships. Since making the U.S. World Team in 2002, Vering has held tight to his position at the top of the ladder at 84 kg/185 lbs. He has faced many tough challengers in the United States, and has found a way to win. He has also competed against some of the world's best wrestlers, and has been shown to be competing at a World-class level.    Vering was tutored in Greco-Roman while an NCAA champion college wrestler at Nebraska by the great Matt Lindland, who boasts Olympic and World silver medals. While other collegians were learning folkstyle and freestyle, Vering was making an impact in Greco-Roman. Lindland made a brief return to wrestling at the 2003 U.S. Nationals and made the finals, only to lose to Vering, his friend and pupil. This is the kind of test that Vering has faced and the kind of test that he has passed. He is doing what is necessary to be a champion wrestler, and he seems to find ways to improve on his performance.    Placing second to Vering at the U.S. Nationals this year was Jake Clark, who is also stretching his limits on the international scene. Jake Clark became a Greco-Roman specialist when he entered the U.S. Marines. He used to compete at 74 kg, but moved up in weight a year ago. He made a big jump in performance, placing second behind Vering at the 2003 World Team Trials. He showed that he is truly the top challenger to Vering by making the 2004 U.S. Nationals finals, as well. Vering scored a 3-1 win over Jake Clark in the finals, something that shows that he is very competitive with Vering. (We will call him Jake because there is another prominent Clark in this division, who is not related). Jake Clark did himself a favor by taking two other qualifying positions out of the field, winning the Armed Forces title as well as the Central Regional Trials.    Taking third at the U.S. Nationals was Aaron Sieracki, a veteran who has been in the thick of things at this weight class for many years. There are two Sieracki brothers in this division, as his brother Keith moved into the weight class this year and placed fifth at the U.S. Nationals. For many years, Keith has been wrestling at 74 kg and Aaron at 84 kg. When the USA did not qualify to compete at the Olympics at 84 kg, Keith moved up to the Olympic weight. The brothers do not wrestle each other, and when Aaron and Keith squared off in the wrestlebacks in Las Vegas, Aaron won the bout by default. He took advantage of the free pass from his brother by beating veteran Ethan Bosch in the bronze medal match, 6-2. Aaron Sieracki has done very well by winning a number of Armed Forces gold medals, but is still seeking his first finals appearance at a major domestic event.    The Sieracki expected to place highest at U.S. Nationals was Keith, however. During his career at 74 kg, Keith wrestled up at 85 kg at many events, and had a number of wins against some of the best U.S. wrestlers there. He was second at the 2004 Dave Schultz Memorial at 85 kg, losing a close battle to Vering. Among his wins were over Jake Clark and Bosch. At the U.S. Nationals, he was seeded No. 2, but lost to Jake Clark in the semifinals, 2-0 in overtime. If the seeding at the World Team Trials goes according to Vegas placements, Keith and Aaron would only meet in the Challenge Tournament finals (or on the "loser's side"). Keith has bad memories from the 2000 Olympic Trials process, after winning the Olympic Trials at 76 kg, but losing the spot on the Olympic Team to Lindland after a series of legal battles, and a court-appointed wrestle-off.     Bosch must not be overlooked in this field of talented contenders. He was second in the 2000 Olympic Trials, and has been among the top few athletes in this division for many years. Bosch beat Vering in the finals of the 2002 U.S. Nationals, but lost to Vering at the World Team Trials. At this year's U.S. Nationals, Bosch fell to Vering in the semifinals, 4-0, then suffered the loss to Aaron Sieracki to finish fourth. Bosch is a pinner and is often exciting to watch. He has tremendous experience, and this may be his last serious attempt to make the Olympic Games.    Capturing sixth in Las Vegas was Tom Ciezki, who has been competing on the national scene for a number of years and has done very well at this division. Ciezki lost to Keith Sieracki twice in Las Vegas, and also lost to Bosch. He has been a Greco-Roman specialist going back to his college years, and has certainly paid his dues here.    There is another Clark in this division, 2000 Olympian Quincey Clark, who placed seventh at the U.S. Nationals this year. Quincey Clark was also a member of the 1999 U.S. World Team. He has not returned to the top of this division since the Sydney Games, as Lindland and Vering were the U.S. World Team representatives since then. He also qualified for the Trials by winning a Regional up at 96 kg. Quincey Clark's losses in Las Vegas were to Vering, 3-0, and Aaron Sieracki, 5-4, showing that he remains right in the battle with the nation's best. He is a top threat in the Challenge Tournament in Indianapolis, with hopes that his close losses can be turned into wins under the big spotlight.     The final qualifier through the U.S. Nationals was Brad Ahern, who had not previously established a reputation on the Greco-Roman scene. Ahern had a big win in the wrestlebacks in Las Vegas, defeating past U.S. Nationals runner-up and veteran Kenny Owens. Ahern will be considered a longshot in the Challenge Tournament.    Owens is the most prominent athlete to qualify for the Olympic Trials through the Regionals, winning the South Regional, the "last chance qualifier." Owens has not always been consistent, but he has a knack of beating some of the other well-known wrestlers. Owens has tremendous experience and will be a difficult draw for whoever gets him in Indianapolis.     The other winners of the Regional events were Jeff Funicello (West), James Meyers (East) and John Wechter (North). Funicello has the most experience of this group. All three competed in Las Vegas, won some matches, but could not get through the tough road in the wrestlebacks. All three will be underdogs in their matches in Indianapolis.    This weight class could be expanded to include any of the qualifiers who competed at 74 kg/163 lbs. at the U.S. Nationals or in the Regional Trials. The U.S. did not qualify to compete at 74 kg in the Athens Games. The prominent athletes at 74 kg in Las Vegas were Darryl Christian, Steve Woods, T.C. Dantzler and Ken Cook. (Cook has the most experience here, having wrestled at the Dave Schultz and University Nationals at the division.) If they make the decision to move up, they are mostly untested against these larger athletes. It is hard to expect that somebody can move up and be successful, especially in this loaded field. A chance to make an Olympic team is something that a few of these athletes may want to pursue.    This weight class has a successful favorite in Vering, and a number of talented challengers. Jake Clark continues to wrestle very well, and is aiming for another chance to face Vering in a best-of-three series. The Sieracki brothers, Keith and Aaron, are dangerous threats. Bosch and Quincey Clark, who were in the final series of the last Olympic Trials, are holding onto hope that they get that chance again. Whoever wins the Challenge Tournament will need to find a way to beat Vering, who seems to be at the top of his game at this time. The winner of this division will be a medal contender in Athens.    2004 U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM TRIALS QUALIFIERS IN MEN'S GRECO-ROMAN AT 84 KG/185 POUNDS  U.S. Nationals Champion - Brad Vering, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)  U.S. Nationals, second place -  Jake Clark, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Marine Corps)  U.S. Nationals, third place - Aaron Sieracki, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Air Force)   U.S. Nationals, fourth place - Ethan Bosch, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)  U.S. Nationals, fifth place - Keith Sieracki, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)