Olympic Games preview at 74 kg/163 lbs. in men’s freestyle

An established superstar is at the top of this division, 1996 Olympic champion Bouvaisa Saitiev, who won the 2003 World Championships and has five World gold medals to his credit. An exciting athlete with amazing technique, Saitiev is motivated to make up for his 2000 Olympic Games loss to American Brandon Slay, who went on to take the gold medal. Russia has other options, such as 2002 World silver medalist Magomed Isagzadziev or 2004 European Champion Ruslan Kokaev, but Saitiev is expected to the athlete in Athens. Saitiev has some unorthodox technical skills, and at one point was considered the greatest wrestler in the world. He would like to reclaim that reputation with a gold medal in Athens. A pair of veterans won medals behind Saitiev in New York City at the 2003 World Championships, silver medalist Murad Gaidarov of Belarus and bronze medalist Gennadiy Laliev of Kazakhstan. Gaidarov has continued his strong wrestling, winning a silver medal at the 2004 European Championships. Laliev has been consistent in recent seasons, also placing fourth at the 2002 World Championships. Placing fourth in the World Championships was Iran's young talent Hadi Habibi, but Iran may choose to enter 2002 World champion Mehdi Hajizadeh instead. Hajizadeh defeated Russian Isagzadziev in the World finals held in Iran, and was also sixth in the 2001 World Championships at this weight class. The U.S. has a strong title contender in 2001 World bronze medalist Joe Williams, who was upset by Habibi in New York last year and did not place in the World Championships. Williams came back and won a gold medal at the first Olympic Qualification Tournament against a strong field. Williams was also fourth at the 1999 World Championships and has a number of World Cup and Pan American Games titles to his credit. Williams lost to Saitiev in that 2001 World meet in the semifinals, and is aiming for a rematch, perhaps for the Olympic gold. 2000 Olympic champion Daniel Igali of Canada has moved to this division from 69 kg, when the weights were realigned in 2002. Igali was also a 1999 World Champion. He was fifth at the 2002 World meet at 74 kg, an indication that he can succeed at this division. Igali has been battling with an injury and was reportedly considering not competing in Athens, but a second place finish in the 2004 Canada Cup in July has him back on the mats preparing to compete. Igali is running for a spot on the IOC Athletes Commission, looking to make an impact on the Olympic movement off the mat as well. Another star moving up since the weight changed is three-time World champion Arayik Gevorkian of Armenia, who had his major achievements at 68 kg. Gevorkian won his World titles in 1995, 1997 and 1998, all down at a lower weight division. American fans remember how Townsend Saunders upset Gevorkian in the semifinals at the 1996 Olympic Games. Gevorkian got into the Athens Games by placing third at the first Olympic Qualification Tournament. He was also seventh at the 2004 European Championships. Another World champion who has moved up in weight is Bulgaria's Nikolai Paslar, who won the 2001 World title at 69 kg. Paslar won the second Olympic Qualification Tournament, held on his home mats in Sofia, Bulgaria. Paslar has great talent and skills, but is still having challenges at the new division. Many wonder if Igali, Gevorkian or Paslar are physically big enough to handle the stars at this weight division. All three could be victims of the drop in weight classes from eight to seven this Olympic cycle. FILA took out a weight in the middle, and this is exactly why wrestling fans worldwide are upset in the loss of opportunity for men wrestlers. Cuba should have a strong entry here, possibly Ivan Fundora or Daniel Gonzalez. Fundora placed second behind Williams at the first Olympic Qualifier. Gonzalez was second behind Williams at the 2003 Pan American Games. Fundora defeated Igali at the Canada Cup, which Cuba used to tune up the team prior to the Olympic Games. Others to watch among the placewinners in New York City were Siharmir Osmanov of Macedonia, who was fifth, Talgat Ilyasov of Australia, who was sixth and veteran Arpad Ritter of Hungary, who was seventh. Of this group, Ritter has previous experience in the Olympics, finishing out of the top 10 in the 2000 Sydney Games. The final three qualifiers from the World Championships in New York were Sujeet Mann of India, Elnur Aslanov of Azerbaijan and Kunihiko Obata of Japan. In the 2004 Asian Championships, Mann was second and Obata was third. Aslanov was dead last in his division at the 2004 European Championships. Greece gets an automatic entry, and could have a medal contender in Emzari Betinidis, who was third at the 2004 European Championships. Others receiving entry into the Olympics through the Olympic Qualifying events were Krystian Brzozowski of Poland, Gela Sagirashvili of Georgia, Salvatore Rinella of Italy and Yusup Abdulsalamov of Tajikistan. Brzozowski was fourth and Sagirashvili placed 10th at the 2004 European Championships this season. Georgia could chose Georgi Mechedlidze as their entry, who was seventh at the 2002 World Championships. Competing with a FILA Wildcard for Great Britain is veteran Nate Ackerman, who wrestled for Harvard and was entered in both of the Olympic Qualification events. Another FILA wildcard went to this division, with Matar Sene of Senegal also added to the field. Nations qualified (alphabetically): Armenia, Azerbaijan, Australia, Bulgaria, Belarus, Canada, Cuba, Georgia, Great Britian, Greece, Hungary, India, Iran, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Macedonia, Poland, Senegal, Tajikistan, United States, Russia Past gold medallists expected in field: Bouvaisa Saitiev (1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003), Mehdi Hadjizadeh of Iran (2002), Nikolai Paslar of Bulgaria (2001), Daniel Igali of Canada (1999, 2000), Arayik Gevorkian of Armenia (1995, 1997, 1998) Top World-level placement for Joe Williams: 3rd (2001) 74 kg/163 lbs.- Freestyle 1st at 2003 World Championships - Russia (Bouvaisa Saitiev or Magomed Isagadzhiev) 2nd at 2003 World Championships - Belarus (Murad Gaidarov) 3rd at 2003 World Championships - Kazakhstan (Gennadiy Laliyev) 4th at 2003 World Championships - Iran (Mehdi Hajizadeh or Hadi Habibi) 5th at 2003 World Championships - Macedonia (Sihamir Osmanov) 6th at 2003 World Championships - Australia (Talgat Ilyasov) 7th at 2003 World Championships -Hungary (Arpad Ritter) 8th at 2003 World Championships - India (Sujeet Mann) 9th at 2003 World Championships -Azerbaijan (Elnur Aslanov) 10th at 2003 World Championships - Japan (Kunihiko Obata) Host Nation entry - Greece (Emzari Betinidis or Felix Polyanidis) 1st at Olympic Qualifier #1 - United States (Joe Williams) 2nd at Olympic Qualifier #1-Cuba (Ivan Fundora or Daniel Gonzalez) 3rd at Olympic Qualifier #1 -Armenia (Arayik Gevorgian) 4th at Olympic Qualifier #1 -Canada (Daniel Igali) 5th at Olympic Qualifier #1 -Poland (Krystian Brzozowski) 1st at Olympic Qualifier #2 - Bulgaria (Nikolai Paslar) 2nd at Olympic Qualifier #2 -Georgia (Gela Sagirashvili or Georgi Mechedlidze) 3rd at Olympic Qualifier #2 -Italy (Salvatore Rinella) 4th at Olympic Qualifier #2 - Tajikistan (Yusup Abdulsalamov) Wildcard - Great Britain (Nate Ackerman) Wildcard - Senegal (Matar Sene) RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS2003 World Championships results 74 kg/163 lbs. - Gold - Bouvaisa Saitiev (Russia) won by ref. dec. over Murad Caidarov (Belarus), 2-2, ot, 9:00; Bronze - Gennadiy Laliyev (Kazakhstan) dec. Hadi Habibi (Iran), 5-1; 5th - Siharmir Osmanov (Macedonia); 6th - Talgat Ilyasov (Australia); 7th - Arpad Ritter (Hungary); 8th - Sujeet Mann (India); 9th -Elnur Isquandar Aslanov (Azerbaijan); 10th - Kunihiko Obata (Japan) 2002 World Championships results 74 kg/163 lbs. - Gold - Mehdi Hadjizadeh Joybari (Iran) dec. Magomed Isagadzhiev (Russia), 4-0; Bronze - Vladimir Sirotin (Ukraine); 4th - Gennadiy Laliyev (Kazakhstan); 5th - Daniel Igali (Canada); 6th - Xu Xuanchong (China); 7th - Georgi Mechedlidz