Continued from page 32 third.
74 kg/163 lbs. – This traditionally is one of the toughest and deepest weight classes in the World, and this year is no exception.
The powerful Russians occupied the top spot on the World podium in this divi- sion last year with Roman Vlasov winning it all. Veteran Selcuk Cebi of Turkey, second in the World last year, is another top con- tender to win Olympic gold. Croatia’s Neven Zugaj and Armenia’s Arsen Jufalakyan also are eyeing the top spot on the podium after winning bronze medals at the 2011 Worlds.
American Ben Provisor has excelled while coming up through the USA Wrestling ranks and broke through to make his first Olympic Team this year. He is a past Junior World Team member. Provisor earned a big win in May’s Curby Cup, knocking off 2008 Olympic champion and 2003 World champion Manuchar Kvirkelia of Georgia. 84 kg/185 lbs. – A number of new faces have burst onto the scene in this weight class since the 2008 Olympics. Alim Selimov of Belarus is the reigning
World champion after downing Poland’s Damian Janikowski in the World finals last year. Turkey’s Nazmi Avluca and Finland’s Rami Heitaniemi captured World bronze medals last year. American Chas Betts has fared well internationally, and competed for the U.S. at the 2009 World Championships. Betts is a tough, hard-nosed wrestler who could make an impact in this divi- sion. He won a strong weight class at the Olympic Trials to earn a trip to London. 96 kg/211.5 lbs. – This weight class features a number of established stars. Bulgaria’s Elis Guri won the World title last year, defeating Sweden’s Jimmy Lidberg in the finals. Russia’s Rustam Totrov and Turkey’s Cenk Idem won World bronze medals in 2011. Egypt’s Mohammed Abdelfatah, who has trained at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, is another wrestler to watch. He was fifth in the 2011 World Championships. American Adam Wheeler won an Olympic bronze medal in this weight class in 2008, but the U.S. fell short of qualifying for the Olympics in this division in 2012.
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – 2008 Olympic champion Mijain Lopez of Cuba has ruled this division, but was upset in the 2011 World finals by Turkey’s Riza Kayaalp. Lopez has won four World titles and two World silver medals. He will be the
Jordan Burroughs captured a 2011 World title in freestyle. Tony Rotundo photo.
favorite to win in London despite his set- back at the Worlds last year. Kazakhstan’s Nurmakhan Tinaliyev and
Iran’s Bashir Asgari Babanjazadeh Darzi won bronze medals at the 2011 Worlds in this class.
American Dremiel Byers will compete in his second Olympic Games. He is one of the best Greco-Roman wrestlers in U.S. history. He has won World gold, sil- ver and bronze medals.
Byers is eager for another Olympic
shot after placing seventh in the 2008 Olympics.
WOMEN’S FREESTYLE 48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Long-time Japanese
star Hitomi Sakamoto is the favorite in the lightest women’s division. Sakamoto dominated on the World level at 51 kg/112.25 lbs. before dropping down to win World titles at 48 kilos the past two years. She will wrestle in her first Olympics. Sakomoto defeated Azerbaijan’s Mariya Stadnyk in the World finals last year.
China’s Shasha Zhao and
Kazakhstan’s Zhuldyz Eshimova won World bronze medals in 2011. Veteran Carol Huynh of Canada won an Olympic gold medal in 2008 and con- tinues to excel. Huynh was third in the World in 2010 and fifth in 2011. American Clarissa Chun had the best year of her career in 2008. She reached the Olympic semifinals before placing fifth, and then followed by winning a World title later that year.
Chun has been slowed by injuries since 2008, but she’s healthy again and ready to make a run at winning a medal in London. She placed seventh in the 2011 Worlds.
2004 Olympic gold medalist Irini Merlini of Ukraine is another medal contender. She was third at the 2008 Olympics. 55 kg/121 lbs. – Japan’s Saori Yoshida may be the best women’s wrestler of all- time. She has won both Olympic titles in this weight class, and owns nine World titles. Yoshida has dominating this weight class, but she survived a close call to Continued on page 34
33 USA Wrestler
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