Manisha Bhanwala has created history by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to win a gold medal at the Senior World Wrestling Championships. The 29-year-old achieved the remarkable feat on Friday, October 30, after defeating American wrestler Abigail Nette 8-6 in the women’s 59kg freestyle final in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Manisha’s victory was particularly special because she recovered from a difficult 0-6 deficit to turn the contest around and secure the world title. Her performance not only ended India’s long wait for a women’s wrestling world champion but also marked a significant milestone for Indian sports.
The final began with Nette taking control of the contest. The American wrestler used an aggressive approach to put Manisha under pressure and quickly built a substantial lead. She secured a four-point move before an unsuccessful challenge from the Indian corner added another point to her advantage. A subsequent caution against Manisha extended Nette’s lead to 6-0.
However, the Indian wrestler refused to give up. She managed to score a point through a step-out before the first period ended, giving herself an opportunity to fight back.
Manisha returned to the mat with greater determination in the second period. She began closing the gap with a takedown, reducing the deficit. The American team challenged the referee’s decision, arguing that the action had been stopped, but the challenge was unsuccessful. Manisha received an additional point, bringing the score to 6-4.
She then made excellent use of the par terre position, executing a gut-wrench move to turn Nette and level the contest at 6-6. The American still held the advantage on criteria, meaning Manisha needed another scoring move to take the lead.
With the match approaching its final moments, the Indian wrestler produced another crucial takedown to move ahead 8-6. She defended her advantage during the remaining 27 seconds, preventing Nette from finding an opportunity to recover.
When the final whistle sounded, Manisha had completed one of the most memorable comebacks in India’s wrestling history. She celebrated the achievement with emotion, having fulfilled a long-standing ambition of becoming a world champion.
A historic first for Indian women’s wrestling
Manisha’s gold medal is India’s first-ever women’s gold at the Senior World Wrestling Championships. She has also become only the second Indian wrestler overall to win a senior world championship title.
The previous Indian to achieve the feat was Sushil Kumar, who won the men’s 66kg freestyle gold at the 2010 World Wrestling Championships in Moscow. His victory came 16 years before Manisha’s historic triumph.
India had come close to winning its first women’s world title on several occasions. Anshu Malik secured a silver medal at the 2021 World Championships, while Indian wrestlers Neelam Sirohi and Kajal Dhochak also reached the finals in the ongoing 2026 competition but finished with silver medals.
Manisha’s victory finally ended that wait and gave Indian women’s wrestling its first world champion.
The achievement is also significant because three Indian women reached the gold medal bouts in the same edition of the championships for the first time. Their performances reflect the growing competitiveness of Indian women wrestlers on the international stage.
India finishes with four medals
Manisha’s gold completed India’s campaign at the 2026 World Wrestling Championships with an impressive four-medal haul. The country’s women’s wrestling contingent finished with one gold, two silver and one bronze medal.
Neelam Sirohi won silver in the 50kg category, while Kajal Dhochak secured silver in the 76kg category. Both wrestlers had reached their respective finals on Thursday but could not convert their opportunities into gold medals.
Tanu Sharma added another medal to India’s tally by winning bronze in the 72kg category.
The overall performance marked India’s best-ever medal return in women’s wrestling at the World Championships, surpassing the previous record achieved at the 2021 edition, when the country won one silver and one bronze.
Manisha’s gold also provided a fitting conclusion to a memorable campaign for the Indian contingent. Her victory demonstrated the importance of mental strength, tactical awareness and the ability to remain composed under pressure.
Manisha’s long journey to the world title
The 29-year-old’s achievement is the result of years of work and international competition. Before reaching the final in Astana, she had delivered a strong performance in the semifinal, defeating Kazakhstan’s Altyn Shagayeva to secure her place in the gold medal bout.
Her victory over Nette was particularly important because the American was a Pan American champion and entered the final as a formidable opponent.
Following her historic win, Manisha said she had been dreaming about becoming a world champion since 2022. She described the achievement as the fulfilment of a goal she had repeatedly written down and worked towards over the years.
Her success is expected to provide fresh inspiration to young wrestlers across the country, particularly women looking to make a career in international wrestling.
India’s performance in Astana also highlights the progress made by its women’s wrestling programme. With athletes reaching multiple finals and securing medals across different weight categories, the country has demonstrated greater depth in the sport.
Manisha Bhanwala’s historic gold will remain a defining moment for Indian wrestling. Her remarkable comeback against Abigail Nette has not only brought home a world title but also opened a new chapter for Indian women in international wrestling.
