Historic Gold for Manisha Bhanwala at World Wrestling Championships

Manisha Bhanwala has made history by becoming the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the Senior World Wrestling Championships. Her remarkable comeback victory in the 59kg freestyle category against Abigail Elizabeth Nette from the USA has garnered significant attention. Following her win, she received accolades from Haryana's Chief Minister, who encouraged her to aim for an Olympic medal. This achievement marks a pivotal moment for Indian women's wrestling, as the country celebrates its first gold in this category. The Indian women's team concluded the championships with a total of four medals, including two silvers and one bronze. Read on to discover more about Manisha's inspiring journey and the impact of her victory on Indian sports.

By Narendra Chaudhary Nov 3, 2026, 23:45 IST

Manisha Bhanwala Makes History in Wrestling

Chandigarh, India - On November 3, Haryana's Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and Sports Minister Gaurav Gautam honored wrestler Manisha Bhanwala following her groundbreaking gold medal achievement at the 2026 Senior World Wrestling Championships held in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Manisha etched her name in history as the first Indian woman to secure a gold medal at the Senior World Wrestling Championships, triumphing in the 59kg freestyle category with an impressive 8-6 comeback victory against Abigail Elizabeth Nette from the USA, after initially trailing 0-6 in the final.

After the ceremony, Manisha expressed her pride in her accomplishment and gratitude for the support from the Haryana government. She mentioned that the Chief Minister encouraged her to aim for an Olympic medal.

“I feel incredibly proud and fortunate to have achieved this. It’s a wonderful feeling. Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini congratulated me and noted that while I have performed well, he urged me to aim even higher. He believes I have the potential to become both a world champion and an Olympic champion. He advised me to remain focused, expressing hope that I will bring home an Olympic medal for our country. I am thrilled about that,” she stated.

Originating from Siwaha village in Jind district, Haryana, Manisha showcased remarkable resilience in her final match against Nette. After falling behind 0-6, she rallied to secure an 8-6 victory, marking a historic moment for Indian women's wrestling.

Prior to her victory, India had never clinched a women's gold at the Senior World Championships. The nation’s best performances included Anshu Malik's silver medal in 2021, along with Kajal Dhochak and Neelam Sirohi, who also finished as runners-up in this year's event.

Manisha's gold medal was a highlight of India's four-medal haul in the women's competition. Kajal and Neelam earned silver medals, while Tanu Sharma added a bronze in the 72kg category.

Overall, the Indian women's team concluded the championships with one gold, two silvers, and one bronze, marking a significant achievement for the country.

In the men's freestyle events, Vicky Hooda was eliminated in the 97kg repechage after a 0-10 loss to Iran's Hassan Yazdani by technical superiority. India's participation in the men's 61kg, 70kg, 86kg, and 125kg categories also ended in the preliminary rounds.