This week in my roundup, I'm going to take a look at the members of the U.S. World Team in freestyle for the 2013 World Championships in Budapest at 55 kilos, 60 kilos, and 66 kilos, and gauge their chances against the international competition they will face in September.
Obe Blanc, 55 kilos
Obe Blanc defeated Angel Escobedo to make his second U.S. World team (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)Obe's stiffest competition may come from Iran, and the Far East. Iranian World medalist Hassan Rahimi beat Blanc at the Beat the Streets Gala last month, but the match was competitive. If North Korea's Yang Kyong-Il shows up, and he has been active this year, then the past World champion and Olympic bronze medalist will have to be considered a favorite at this weight. Japan's Shinichi Yumoto has not been active this year internationally, but if he shows at worlds then he should come accompanied with high expectations after his bronze medal performance in London.
Though not a prior World medalist, India's Amit Kumar should factor heavily at this weight, Kumar beat Yang at this year's Asian Championships and Rahimi at last year's Olympics.
So while Obe's weight class has depth, and they all do, the field features no wrestler who should be considered untouchable. This is about as manageable a situation at 55 kilos as we could hope for, and we should be cautiously optimistic about Obe's chances to medal
Reece Humphrey, 60 kilos
Reece Humphrey won his second U.S. World Team Trials title (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)First off, I will assume that Olympic champion wunderkind Toghrul Asgarov of Azerbaijan returns. Asgarov looked incredible in London, which might have been the first step in a legendary career. If the Asgarov of 2012 comes to wrestle in Budapest, I do not see him losing.
After Asgarov, a host of world-class competitors potentially stand in Humphrey's way. The Russian at this weight, Bekhan Goygereev, has yet to be tested on the world level, but he beat four-time World champion Besik Kudukhov at Russian Nationals and has to be considered a threat.
Whomever North Korea sends here will be tough. They had a wrestler win the 2013 Asian Champsionships at this weight, and another place fifth at last year's World Championships. The same goes for India. Last year Yogeshwar Dutt earned Olympic bronze, and this year Bajrang (yes he has a one word name) earned third at the Asian Championships.
Additionally, two top-level 55-kilo wrestlers have moved up to 60 kilos this year. Georgia's Olympic silver medalist Vladimir Khinchegashvili won a European bronze this year at 60 kilos, and Kazakhstan's past World medalist Daulet Niyabekoz placed third at this weight at the Asian Championships.
Quietly, Bulgaria's Vladimir Dubov has been having a great year. He should not be taken lightly. Also, let us not forget Franklin Gomez of Puerto Rico, who has had success against Humphrey collegiately, and who wrestled in the World finals a couple years ago.
Finally we have Iran's Masoud Esmailpour, who has not experienced great success at the world level, but who horsed both Coleman Scott and Humphrey around in dominant wins this year.
Reece Humphrey has his work cut out for him in Budapest.
Brent Metcalf, 66 kilos
Metcalf looks to be a far better freestyle wrestler with the new rule changes, but questions still remain as to whether he can string together the sort of tournament he needs at a World Championships in order to take home a medal.
Brent Metcalf is still in search of his first World medal (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Iran's Mehdi Tahavi, a multiple-time World champ, dismantled Brent in their meeting earlier this year, but he was not present at Iran's national championships, so perhaps this is another bullet dodged. If he stands in Metcalf's way in the bracket, I wouldn't bet on Brent.
Outside of the wrestlers I just mentioned, this weight will likely feature past World medalist Yabrail Hasanov of Azerbaijan, whom Brent has beaten, and Haislan Garcia of Canada, who beat Metcalf last year, but whom I think Brent would outlast under the current rules. Additional good news comes from the fact that Jordan Oliver defeated the Russian representative at this weight, Magomed Kurbanaliev, and a Brent Metcalf-esque performance at Beat the Streets.
The stars may have aligned for Brent this year. The rules have changed to favor him. He's wrestling better than ever, and the field at World's looks like it may be missing some of its biggest stars. I really like Metcalf's chances to do something special.
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