Manisha Bhanwala Makes History with Gold at World Wrestling Championships
Historic Achievement for Indian Wrestling
File image of Indian wrestler Manisha Bhanwala(Photo: @SVishnuReddy/X)
Astana (Kazakhstan), Oct 30: On Friday, Manisha Bhanwala made history by becoming the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the Senior World Wrestling Championships, contributing to India's impressive total of four medals in the event.
Manisha secured her gold in a thrilling 59kg final, where she faced off against Abigail Elizabeth Nette from the USA. After trailing 0-6, she showcased remarkable resilience and tactical skill, ultimately winning the match 8-6 and breaking new ground for Indian women's wrestling.
This victory marks a significant milestone, as India had not previously won a gold medal in women's wrestling at this prestigious event. Manisha's triumph comes after Anshu Malik's near miss in 2021 and follows her teammates Kajal Dhochak and Neelam Sirohi, who both earned silver medals in this year's competition.
Manisha's gold medal caps off a remarkable performance by the Indian women's wrestling team, which concluded the championships with a total of four medals.
In the men's freestyle events, Vicky Hooda's journey ended in the 97kg repechage round, where he faced Iranian wrestler Hassan Yazdani and lost by technical superiority with a score of 0-10.
Additionally, the Indian men's freestyle wrestlers in the 61kg, 70kg, 86kg, and 125kg categories were eliminated in the preliminary rounds, failing to reach the semifinals.
India's final medal tally at the 2026 World Championships includes:
Women's Wrestling (4 Medals)
Gold (1): Manisha Bhanwala (59kg)
Silver (2): Kajal Dhochak, Neelam Sirohi
Bronze (1): Tanu Sharma (72kg)