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Manisha Bhanwala becomes first Indian woman wrestler to win World Championship gold
Manisha Bhanwala became India's first woman wrestling world champion.
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Manisha Bhanwala scripted history on Friday, becoming the first Indian woman to win a world wrestling title in Astana. The 29-year-old defeated A Elizabeth Nette of US 8-6 in a tightly contested final.
Although the 59kg category is a non-Olympic weight class, the achievement is significant as no Indian woman had won a world title before.
It has been a highly successful campaign for India's women wrestlers, with two other grapplers — Neelam Sirohi (50kg) and Kajal Dhochak (76kg) — reaching the finals in Olympic weight categories but settling for silver medals.
Before this edition, Anshu Malik was the only Indian woman to have reached a world championships final, winning silver in the 57kg category in 2021. One of India's most accomplished wrestlers, Vinesh Phogat, has won two bronze medals at the world championships. Antim Panghal has also claimed two bronze medals, both in Olympic weight categories.
In men's freestyle wrestling, two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar remains India's only world champion. He won gold in the 66kg category at the 2010 World Championships in Moscow. Bajrang Punia also reached the final at the 2018 World Championships in Budapest but had to settle for silver.
Manisha's triumph marked a significant turnaround for the women's team after a disappointing campaign at the Asian Games, where the wrestlers failed to meet expectations and Antim Panghal was the only one to return with a medal, winning silver in 53kg.
At the Asian Games, Manisha competed in the 57kg category, an Olympic weight class, but lost to Japan's Akari Fujinami in the quarterfinals. She opted to compete in the 59kg category at the world championships, a decision that paid rich dividends.
Manisha produced a series of impressive performances en route to the final. She defeated world championships bronze medallist Laurence Beauregard before pinning her opponent to the mat. She then overcame Mongolia's Bolortuya Khurelkhuu and pinned Kazakhstan's Altyn Shagayeva to secure her place in the title clash.
The final against American wrestler A Elizabeth Nette, a Pan American champion, proved to be a tough contest. Manisha trailed 1-6 at the end of the first period but mounted a spirited comeback, launching a series of effective attacks to turn the contest around and clinch an 8-6 victory.
Hailing from Jind in Haryana, the 29-year-old is a seasoned wrestler who has competed across several weight categories, from 57kg to 65kg, and has featured in three world championships. She drew on that experience to deliver the biggest victory of her career on Friday.
