Manisha Bhanwala Becomes First Indian Woman Wrestling World Champion

Manisha Bhanwala became the first Indian woman to win a world wrestling title on Friday in Astana, defeating American wrestler Abigail Elizabeth Nette 8-6 in a tightly contested final.

The 29-year-old grappler competed in the 59kg category and staged a remarkable comeback after trailing during the match to claim the gold medal.

The victory marks a historic milestone for Indian wrestling, as no woman from the country had previously won a gold medal at the world championships.

Her brother Rinku spoke about her toughness, saying, "She was physically strong and mental toughness was always her biggest strength."

The triumph followed a difficult period for the athlete, whose father passed away in 2022 prior to an international tournament.

Rinku recalled persuading her to continue her career, noting, "We had to tell her that all the efforts our father had made to make her a wrestling champion would go to waste if she gave up."

After securing the victory, Bhanwala displayed a white T-shirt featuring photographs of her late parents to honor their memory and sacrifices.

In addition to the gold medal, India recorded its best-ever showing at the event with silver medals from Neelam Sirohi and Kajal Dhochak, along with a bronze medal from Tanu Sharma.

Bhanwala previously competed in the 57kg category at the Asian Games, where she suffered a quarterfinal defeat before shifting to the 59kg weight class for the world championships.

The reports differed slightly on the exact margin at the start of her comeback, with one report stating she trailed 1-6 at the end of the first period while another mentioned she was down 0-6.

Bhanwala will now look ahead to future international competitions and her ambition to excel at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.