2007 World Championships preview at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. in men’s freestyle wrestling
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by Craig Sesker
Artur Taymazov of Uzbekistan has been the wrestler to beat in the heavyweight class in freestyle.
Taymazov is the reigning World champion at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. and also was an Olympic champion in 2004 and a World champion in 2003.
Cuban veteran Alexis Rodriguez - a 1998 World champion who also was a World silver medalist in 2002 and 2005 - recently won the heavyweight title at the Pan American Games.
Past World champion Kuramagomed Kuramagomedov of Russia placed second in the Worlds last year and would be considered among the favorites after winning the 2007 European Championships. But Russia lists Bilyal Makhov as its entrant for the 2007 Worlds. Makhov, who turns 20 years old later this month, won Junior World titles in 2005 and 2006.
The returning bronze medalists at 120 kg are Farden Masoumi Valadi of Iran and Ruslan Basiev of Armenia. Valadi won the 2007 Asian Championships.
The United States has a new face at heavyweight this year in Tommy Rowlands, who has qualified for his first appearance at the World Championships.
Rowlands, a two-time NCAA champion for Ohio State, had been considered slightly underszied for a heavyweight in the past. But Rowlands has put on some weight, and still is very athletic and agile for a big man.
Rowlands placed second to Rodriguez in the Pan American Games and was right in the match, scoring a takedown against the Cuban star. Rowlands has had a very strong season and could carry that momentum into the biggest tournament of his life.
Taymazov appears to be the class of this field once again, but Rodriguez is a guy who can't be taken lightly. Neither can Rowlands, a guy who has paid his dues at the international level and is hungry to win a medal this year.
RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS
2006 World Championships
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Gold - Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan); Silver - Kuramagomed Kuramagomedov (Russia); Bronze - Farden Masoumi Valadi (Iran); Bronze - Ruslan Basiev (Armenia); 5th - Davaanyam Lkhagvordorj (Mongolia); 5th - Recep Kara (Turkey); 7th - Khizar Durgayev (Azerbaijan); 8th - Otto Aubeli (Hungary); 9th - Liang Lei (China); 10th - Eldar Kurtanidze (Georgia)
2005 World Championships
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Gold - Ayden Polatci (Turkey); Silver - Alexis Rodriguez (Cuba); Bronze - Otto Aubeli (Hungary); Bronze - Tolly Thompson (USA); 5th - Liang Lei (China); 5th - Kuramagomed Kuramogomedov (Russia); 7th - Rares Chintoan (Romania); 8th - Fardi Mousami (Iran); 9th - Vadim Tasoev (Ukraine); 10th - Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan)
2004 Olympic Gamess
120 kg/ 264.5 lbs. - Gold - Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan); Silver - Ali Reza Rezaei (Iran); Bronze - Aydin Polatci (Turkey); 4th - Marid Mutalimov (Kazakhstan); 5th - Alexis Rodriguez (Cuba); 6th - Kuramagomed Kuramagomedov (Russia); 7th - Kerry McCoy (USA); 8th - Bozhidar Boyadzhiev (Bulgaria); 9th - Sven Thiele (Germany); 10th - Francesco Miano-Petta (Italy)
2003 World Championships
120 kg/ 264.5 lbs. - Gold - Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan) dec. Kerry McCoy (United States), 4-1. ot, 6:12; Bronze - Ali Reza Rezaei (Iran) dec. Serhii Priadun (Ukraine), 3-0; 5th - Efsathios Topalidis (Greece); 6th - Marid Mutalimov (Kazakhstan); 7th - Baris Hrinkevich (Belarus); 8th - Aleksi Modebadze (Georgia); 9th - Otto Aubeli (Hungary); 10th - Gelegjamts Usukhbayar (Mongolia)
2002 World Championships
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Gold - David Musulbes (Russia) dec. Alexis Rodriguez (Cuba), 5-0, ot, 6:04; Bronze - Aydin Polatci (Turkey) won by tech. fall over David Otiashvili (Georgia), 10-0, 1:25; 5th - Otto Aubeli (Hungary); 6th - Ruslan Shikhsafiyev (Kazakhstan); 7th - Markus Hamann (Germany); 8th - Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan); 9th - Boris Boyadzhiev (Bulgaria); 10th - Boris Grinkevich (Belarus)
Taymazov is the reigning World champion at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. and also was an Olympic champion in 2004 and a World champion in 2003.
Cuban veteran Alexis Rodriguez - a 1998 World champion who also was a World silver medalist in 2002 and 2005 - recently won the heavyweight title at the Pan American Games.
Past World champion Kuramagomed Kuramagomedov of Russia placed second in the Worlds last year and would be considered among the favorites after winning the 2007 European Championships. But Russia lists Bilyal Makhov as its entrant for the 2007 Worlds. Makhov, who turns 20 years old later this month, won Junior World titles in 2005 and 2006.
The returning bronze medalists at 120 kg are Farden Masoumi Valadi of Iran and Ruslan Basiev of Armenia. Valadi won the 2007 Asian Championships.
The United States has a new face at heavyweight this year in Tommy Rowlands, who has qualified for his first appearance at the World Championships.
Rowlands, a two-time NCAA champion for Ohio State, had been considered slightly underszied for a heavyweight in the past. But Rowlands has put on some weight, and still is very athletic and agile for a big man.
Rowlands placed second to Rodriguez in the Pan American Games and was right in the match, scoring a takedown against the Cuban star. Rowlands has had a very strong season and could carry that momentum into the biggest tournament of his life.
Taymazov appears to be the class of this field once again, but Rodriguez is a guy who can't be taken lightly. Neither can Rowlands, a guy who has paid his dues at the international level and is hungry to win a medal this year.
RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS
2006 World Championships
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Gold - Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan); Silver - Kuramagomed Kuramagomedov (Russia); Bronze - Farden Masoumi Valadi (Iran); Bronze - Ruslan Basiev (Armenia); 5th - Davaanyam Lkhagvordorj (Mongolia); 5th - Recep Kara (Turkey); 7th - Khizar Durgayev (Azerbaijan); 8th - Otto Aubeli (Hungary); 9th - Liang Lei (China); 10th - Eldar Kurtanidze (Georgia)
2005 World Championships
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Gold - Ayden Polatci (Turkey); Silver - Alexis Rodriguez (Cuba); Bronze - Otto Aubeli (Hungary); Bronze - Tolly Thompson (USA); 5th - Liang Lei (China); 5th - Kuramagomed Kuramogomedov (Russia); 7th - Rares Chintoan (Romania); 8th - Fardi Mousami (Iran); 9th - Vadim Tasoev (Ukraine); 10th - Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan)
2004 Olympic Gamess
120 kg/ 264.5 lbs. - Gold - Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan); Silver - Ali Reza Rezaei (Iran); Bronze - Aydin Polatci (Turkey); 4th - Marid Mutalimov (Kazakhstan); 5th - Alexis Rodriguez (Cuba); 6th - Kuramagomed Kuramagomedov (Russia); 7th - Kerry McCoy (USA); 8th - Bozhidar Boyadzhiev (Bulgaria); 9th - Sven Thiele (Germany); 10th - Francesco Miano-Petta (Italy)
2003 World Championships
120 kg/ 264.5 lbs. - Gold - Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan) dec. Kerry McCoy (United States), 4-1. ot, 6:12; Bronze - Ali Reza Rezaei (Iran) dec. Serhii Priadun (Ukraine), 3-0; 5th - Efsathios Topalidis (Greece); 6th - Marid Mutalimov (Kazakhstan); 7th - Baris Hrinkevich (Belarus); 8th - Aleksi Modebadze (Georgia); 9th - Otto Aubeli (Hungary); 10th - Gelegjamts Usukhbayar (Mongolia)
2002 World Championships
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Gold - David Musulbes (Russia) dec. Alexis Rodriguez (Cuba), 5-0, ot, 6:04; Bronze - Aydin Polatci (Turkey) won by tech. fall over David Otiashvili (Georgia), 10-0, 1:25; 5th - Otto Aubeli (Hungary); 6th - Ruslan Shikhsafiyev (Kazakhstan); 7th - Markus Hamann (Germany); 8th - Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan); 9th - Boris Boyadzhiev (Bulgaria); 10th - Boris Grinkevich (Belarus)
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