Manisha Bhanwala made history as the first Indian woman to win gold at the Senior World Wrestling Championships, staging a comeback win in the 59kg final. India finished the tournament with a total of four medals.
Historic Achievement for Indian Wrestling
Astana [Kazakhstan], October 31 (ANI): Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya hailed Manisha Bhanwala for creating history by becoming the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the World Wrestling Championships. Manisha Bhanwala scripted history on Friday, becoming the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the Senior World Wrestling Championships with a thrilling victory in the 59kg final. “A monumental day for Indian Wrestling! Heartiest congratulations to Manisha Bhanwala on becoming the first Indian woman in history to win gold at the World Wrestling Championships,” Mandaviya wrote in an X post.
A monumental day for Indian Wrestling! ЁЯеЗЁЯЗоЁЯЗ│ Heartiest congratulations to Manisha Bhanwala on becoming the first Indian woman in history to win gold at the World Wrestling Championships. https://t.co/FURsjbSVhJ тАФ Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) October 30, 2026
The Road to the Gold Medal
In a high-stakes title clash against USAтАЩs Abigail Elizabeth Nette, Manisha showcased tremendous grit and tactical composure to script a remarkable comeback from a 0-6 deficit, eventually clinching an 8-6 victory. Her triumph marked a historic breakthrough for Indian womenтАЩs wrestling. Before ManishaтАЩs landmark achievement, India had never won a gold medal in womenтАЩs wrestling at the Senior World Championships. She finally broke the jinx, surpassing the silver-medal finishes of Anshu Malik in 2021 and her compatriots Kajal Dhochak and Neelam Sirohi, who also settled for silver earlier in the ongoing edition.
Successful Campaign for India
ManishaтАЩs historic gold capped a memorable campaign for the Indian womenтАЩs contingent, which signed off from the championships with an impressive haul of four medals. India won four medals at the 2026 World Championships, with Manisha Bhanwala winning a Gold medal in the 59 kg category. Kajal Dhochak and Neelam Sirohi secured Silver medals for India, whereas Tanu Sharma took home a Bronze medal in the 72 kg category. (ANI)
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