2009 World Championships preview at 60 kg/132 lbs. in freestyle wrestling
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by Craig Sesker
This weight class has been dominated by Russia's Mavlet Batirov the past two years.
Batirov won the 2007 World title and the 2008 Olympic Games at 60 kg/132 lbs. in freestyle. Batirov is a two-time Olympic champion, who likely will not compete at this year's Worlds.
The World Championships in this division will be contested on Sept. 22 in Herning, Denmark.
With Batirov out, talented young Besik Kudukhov has moved up to 60 kilos after previously competing at 55 kg/121 lbs. Kudukhov won the Russian Nationals at 60 kilos.
Kudukhov won a World title in 2007 and was favored to win the Olympics before being upset in the semifinals by eventual silver medalist Tomohiro Matsunaga of Japan. Kudukhov came back to win a bronze medal while Matsunaga lost to Henry Cejudo of the United States in the finals.
Even though he is moving up a class, Kuduhkov is one of the favorites to win here. He won the bronze medal in his new weight class at the 2009 World Cup.
Ukraine's Vasyl Fedorishin also is expected to contend for a World title. Fedorishin won an Olympic silver medal in 2008. He was third at the 2009 European Championships.
Azerbaijan's Zelimkhan Huseinov has put together an outstanding season. He won the European Championships, the World Cup and the Heydar Aliyev Golden Grand Prix in Azerbaijan this year. Huseinov placed fifth in the 2008 Olympic Games.
Returning bronze medalists from the Olympics are past World champion Seyed Morad Mohammadi of Iran and Kenichi Yumoto of Japan. Mohammadi is expected to compete at the Worlds.
Georgia's Malkhaz Kurdiani won a bronze medal at the 2009 Europeans and was second at the Grand Prix event in Azerbaijan.
Iran's Saeid Ahmadi Zarinkolaei was third in the recent tournament in Azerbaijan.
North Korea's Tong-Hyok Jo won the 2009 Asian Championships. Cuba's Maikel Perez won the Pan American Championships this year.
The United States will send exciting young newcomer Shawn Bunch to the mat for the Worlds. Bunch made his first World Team after knocking off past World silver medalist and 2008 Olympian Mike Zadick to make the U.S. team. Zadick is the last international wrestler to beat Batirov, in the semifinals of the 2006 Worlds.
Bunch is explosive and athletic, and tough to match up against. He will have to stay on the attack as his opponents try to slow him down and limit his opportunities.
Bunch placed fifth in the Grand Prix event in Azerbaijan. He lost a close, three-period battle against Huseinov in that event.
RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS
2008 Olympic Games
60 kg/132 lbs. - Gold - Mavlet Batirov (Russia); Silver - Vasyl Fedoryshyn (Ukraine); Bronze - Kenichi Yumoto (Japan); Bronze - Seyed Morad Mohammadi (Iran); 5th - Bazar Bazarguruev (Krygyzstan); 5th - Zelimkhan Huseinov (Azerbaijan); 7th - Muzad Ramazanov (Macedonia); 8th - Yandro Quintana (Cuba); 9th - Yogeshwar Dutt (India); 10th - Saeed Azarbayjani (Canada)
2007 World Championships
60 kg/132 lbs. - Gold - Mavlet Batirov (Russia); Silver - Anatoli Guidea (Bulgaria); Bronze - Bazar Bazarguruev (Kyrgyzstan); Bronze - Sahit Prizreni (Albania); 5th - Tevfik Odabasi (Turkey); 5th - He Quin (China); 7th - Samat Khakupov (Kazakhstan); 8th - Murat Ramazanov (Macedonia); 9th - Themis Iakovidis (Greece); 10th - Vasil Fedorishyn (Ukraine)
2006 World Championships
60 kg/132 lbs. - Gold - Seyed Morad Mohammadi (Iran); Silver - Mike Zadick (USA); Bronze - Noriyuki Takatsuka (Japan); Bronze - Mavlet Batirov (Russia); 5th - Vasil Fedoryshin (Ukraine); 5th - Dutt Yogeshwar (India); 7th - David Pogosian (Georgia); 8th - Aliaksandr Karnitski (Belarus); 9th - Yandro Quintana (Cuba); 10th - Farzad Tarash (Australia)
2005 World Championships
60 kg/ 132 lbs. - Gold - Alan Dudaev (Russia); Silver - Yandro Quintana (Cuba); Bronze - Martin Berberyan (Armenia); Bronze - Mehdi Mohammadi (Iran); 5th - Levan Chabradze (Georgia); 5th - Oyunbileg Purevbaatar (Mongolia); 7th - Jae-Myung Song (Korea); 8th - Giuvi Sissaouri (Canada); 9th - Gergo Woller (Hungary); 10th - Tevfik Odabasi (Turkey)
Batirov won the 2007 World title and the 2008 Olympic Games at 60 kg/132 lbs. in freestyle. Batirov is a two-time Olympic champion, who likely will not compete at this year's Worlds.
The World Championships in this division will be contested on Sept. 22 in Herning, Denmark.
With Batirov out, talented young Besik Kudukhov has moved up to 60 kilos after previously competing at 55 kg/121 lbs. Kudukhov won the Russian Nationals at 60 kilos.
Kudukhov won a World title in 2007 and was favored to win the Olympics before being upset in the semifinals by eventual silver medalist Tomohiro Matsunaga of Japan. Kudukhov came back to win a bronze medal while Matsunaga lost to Henry Cejudo of the United States in the finals.
Even though he is moving up a class, Kuduhkov is one of the favorites to win here. He won the bronze medal in his new weight class at the 2009 World Cup.
Ukraine's Vasyl Fedorishin also is expected to contend for a World title. Fedorishin won an Olympic silver medal in 2008. He was third at the 2009 European Championships.
Azerbaijan's Zelimkhan Huseinov has put together an outstanding season. He won the European Championships, the World Cup and the Heydar Aliyev Golden Grand Prix in Azerbaijan this year. Huseinov placed fifth in the 2008 Olympic Games.
Returning bronze medalists from the Olympics are past World champion Seyed Morad Mohammadi of Iran and Kenichi Yumoto of Japan. Mohammadi is expected to compete at the Worlds.
Georgia's Malkhaz Kurdiani won a bronze medal at the 2009 Europeans and was second at the Grand Prix event in Azerbaijan.
Iran's Saeid Ahmadi Zarinkolaei was third in the recent tournament in Azerbaijan.
North Korea's Tong-Hyok Jo won the 2009 Asian Championships. Cuba's Maikel Perez won the Pan American Championships this year.
The United States will send exciting young newcomer Shawn Bunch to the mat for the Worlds. Bunch made his first World Team after knocking off past World silver medalist and 2008 Olympian Mike Zadick to make the U.S. team. Zadick is the last international wrestler to beat Batirov, in the semifinals of the 2006 Worlds.
Bunch is explosive and athletic, and tough to match up against. He will have to stay on the attack as his opponents try to slow him down and limit his opportunities.
Bunch placed fifth in the Grand Prix event in Azerbaijan. He lost a close, three-period battle against Huseinov in that event.
RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS
2008 Olympic Games
60 kg/132 lbs. - Gold - Mavlet Batirov (Russia); Silver - Vasyl Fedoryshyn (Ukraine); Bronze - Kenichi Yumoto (Japan); Bronze - Seyed Morad Mohammadi (Iran); 5th - Bazar Bazarguruev (Krygyzstan); 5th - Zelimkhan Huseinov (Azerbaijan); 7th - Muzad Ramazanov (Macedonia); 8th - Yandro Quintana (Cuba); 9th - Yogeshwar Dutt (India); 10th - Saeed Azarbayjani (Canada)
2007 World Championships
60 kg/132 lbs. - Gold - Mavlet Batirov (Russia); Silver - Anatoli Guidea (Bulgaria); Bronze - Bazar Bazarguruev (Kyrgyzstan); Bronze - Sahit Prizreni (Albania); 5th - Tevfik Odabasi (Turkey); 5th - He Quin (China); 7th - Samat Khakupov (Kazakhstan); 8th - Murat Ramazanov (Macedonia); 9th - Themis Iakovidis (Greece); 10th - Vasil Fedorishyn (Ukraine)
2006 World Championships
60 kg/132 lbs. - Gold - Seyed Morad Mohammadi (Iran); Silver - Mike Zadick (USA); Bronze - Noriyuki Takatsuka (Japan); Bronze - Mavlet Batirov (Russia); 5th - Vasil Fedoryshin (Ukraine); 5th - Dutt Yogeshwar (India); 7th - David Pogosian (Georgia); 8th - Aliaksandr Karnitski (Belarus); 9th - Yandro Quintana (Cuba); 10th - Farzad Tarash (Australia)
2005 World Championships
60 kg/ 132 lbs. - Gold - Alan Dudaev (Russia); Silver - Yandro Quintana (Cuba); Bronze - Martin Berberyan (Armenia); Bronze - Mehdi Mohammadi (Iran); 5th - Levan Chabradze (Georgia); 5th - Oyunbileg Purevbaatar (Mongolia); 7th - Jae-Myung Song (Korea); 8th - Giuvi Sissaouri (Canada); 9th - Gergo Woller (Hungary); 10th - Tevfik Odabasi (Turkey)
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