Manisha creates history by becoming first Indian women to win gold at the Worlds

Manisha Bhanwala pulled off a stunning comeback victory to create history by becoming the first Indian wrestler to win a women’s freestyle gold medal at the World Wrestling Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, on Friday.

The 29-year-old Manisha Bhanwala, competing at the World Wrestling Championships 2026, came back from 6-0 down to beat reigning Pan American champion Abigail Nette of the USA 8-6 in the gold medal bout of the 59kg category.

https://x.com/olympic_indian/status/2116170807269634217?a=jLMAbx6huO-OAx5AA0o&s=20

Manisha became only the second Indian wrestler to win a senior world title. Two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar was previously India’s only world champion, having won the men’s 66kg freestyle crown in 2010.

India’s Neelam and Kajal bag historic silver medals at World Wrestling Championships

The gold marked a new high in the career of Manisha, the 2025 Asian champion, who had competed at three previous senior World Championships without winning a medal. Manisha made it to the bronze medal bout in the non-Olympic 65kg division in Tirana in 2024 but lost 8-2 to Japan’s Miwa Morikawa.

The gold marked a new high in the career of Manisha, the 2025 Asian champion, who had competed at three previous senior World Championships without winning a medal. Pics: X / WFI

Earlier this month, Manisha competed in the 57kg division at the Asian Games 2026, where she ran into Japanese star Akari Fujinami in the quarterfinals. Fujinami, the Paris 2024 Olympic champion and a two-time world champion, beat Manisha 3-0 in a closely fought contest.

Manisha switched to the non-Olympic 59kg category for the World Championships and produced a dominant run to the final. She began her campaign with a victory by fall over Canada’s 2025 world bronze medallist and four-time Pan American champion Laurence Beauregard before beating Mongolia’s Bolortuya Khurelkhuu 6-0 in the quarterfinals.

Manisha, in the semifinals, overwhelmed home favourite and former Under-23 world bronze medallist Altyn Shagayeva of Kazakhstan. The Indian wrestler led 3-0 after the opening period before stretching her advantage to 10-0 and securing the fall to book her place in the gold medal bout.

Manisha’s victory took India’s medal tally at the championships to four – one gold, two silver and one bronze – with all four medals coming in women’s freestyle.

Neelam Sirohi won silver in the women’s 50kg category, Kajal Dhochak finished runner-up in the 76kg division while Tanu Sharma claimed bronze in the 72kg event.

Meanwhile, India’s men endured a difficult day in freestyle wrestling. Nikhil produced a spirited fightback in the men’s 61kg category against Islamic Republic of Iran’s world silver medallist Ahmad Masoud Mohammadnezhadjavan. The Indian recovered from 0-8 down to lead 9-8 before eventually losing 9-10 in the pre-quarterfinals.

Pushpender Dalal won his opening two bouts in the men’s 86kg division before losing 7-2 to Azerbaijan’s Arsenii Dzhioev. Jaspooran Singh beat Romania’s Omar Sarem 8-4 in the men’s 125kg qualification round but went down 11-0 by technical superiority to Iran’s two-time Olympic medallist Amir Hossein Zare.

Vishal Kaliraman exited the men’s 70kg competition following a 7-2 defeat to Turkiye’s Ferhat Kilic. Vicky Hooda’s medal hopes also ended after he lost his men’s 97kg repechage bout 10-0 by technical superiority to Iran’s Hassan Yazdani.