Olympics Overview: Wrestling

— -- The Facts

WHERE: Sydney Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour.

WHEN: Sept. 28-Oct. 1.

MEDALS: Freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling consists of eightweight classes.

OUTLOOK: The competition format has changed from double-eliminationto pools and the IOC ordered wrestling to cut down its weights from10 to eight.

The United States has 99 Olympic medals in wrestling,44 gold, almost twice as many as any other country. FormerGreco-Roman gold medalist Jeff Blatnick predicts as many as sevenU.S. medals in freestyle.

Who to Watch

Alexander Karelin, Russia: Greco-Roman heavyweight hasn’t lost a match that mattered since 1987. Unbeaten in major international competitions, winning nineworld and three Olympic championships. Signature move is reversebody slam, never copied in his weight class because of the sheerstrength involved.

Cary Kolat, USA: Considered best wrestler in the world without a gold medal.Stripped of victories by judges’ decisions in 139-pound worldchampionships in 1998 and 1999. Lost 1997 world finals when Iranianopponent gained unwarranted time-out by untying his own shoes, astalling tactic later banned.