Manisha Creates History with India’s First Women’s Wrestling World Title
Manisha Bhanwala scripted a historic chapter in Indian wrestling on Friday, October 30, by becoming the country’s first-ever woman to win a gold medal at the Senior World Wrestling Championships. The Indian wrestler produced a remarkable comeback to defeat Abigail Nette of the United States 8-6 in the women’s 59kg final in Astana, Kazakhstan.
The victory ended India’s long wait for a women’s world champion and made Manisha only the second Indian wrestler overall to win a senior World Championships gold. Sushil Kumar was the first, having claimed the men’s 66kg title in 2010.
Manisha Turns Around a 6-0 Deficit
The final looked to be slipping away from the Indian wrestler in its early stages. Nette opened with a four-point move, and India’s unsuccessful challenge added another point to the American’s tally. A caution against Manisha extended the deficit to 6-0.
Manisha managed to get on the scoreboard with a stepout before the break, reducing the margin to 6-1. The Indian then began to build her comeback with a takedown. Nette challenged the call, arguing that the referee had stopped the action, but the challenge was unsuccessful, giving Manisha another point and an opportunity to continue in the par terre position.
Manisha capitalised by turning Nette with a gut-wrench for two more points, bringing the score to 6-4. She continued to apply pressure and eventually secured another takedown to move ahead 8-6.
With the American unable to find a way back, Manisha defended her lead until the final whistle to secure the gold medal.
Third Time Proves Lucky for India
Manisha’s triumph came after two earlier Indian attempts to win the women’s world title ended in silver medals at the same championships.
Neelam Sirohi reached the 50kg final but lost to Japan’s Yui Susaki. Kajal Dhochak also came close in the 76kg category before going down to Ukraine’s Anastasiya Alpyeyeva.
Manisha became the third Indian woman to reach a gold medal bout at the 2026 edition and the first to convert that opportunity into a world title.
A Landmark Moment for Indian Women’s Wrestling
The achievement is another major milestone for Indian women’s wrestling, which has steadily produced international medal contenders across weight categories. Manisha’s victory in Astana takes that progress to a new level, with the country now having its first-ever women’s senior world champion.
Her comeback against Nette was not just a gold-medal performance but a defining moment in India’s wrestling history. From trailing 6-0 to winning 8-6, Manisha delivered a result that will be remembered as one of the biggest achievements in the sport for India.
