Tennis and wrestling may have very little in common but Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka has played a huge part in Manisha Bhanwala’s journey – the first-ever female senior world champion wrestler.
The 29-year-old Manisha, who won the Asian title last year, fought back from 6-0 down to beat American Abigail Nette 8-6 in the 59kg freestyle final at the World Wrestling Championships in Astana on Friday.
In the process, she became only the second Indian wrestler to claim a senior world crown after twice Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar, who won the men’s 66kg freestyle title in 2010. Competing at her fourth senior World Championships, it was Manisha’s first-ever podium finish.
Her triumph lifted India’s haul at the championships to four medals, comprising one gold, two silvers and a bronze, with all four coming in women’s freestyle events. Sabalenka’s relentless pursuit of excellence has made the world no.2 tennis star an inspirational figure for Manisha.
Sushil Kumar and Portugal footballer Cristiano Ronaldo are also on Manisha list of idols. “First of all, Sushil pehlwan. He was known for his hard work. I have heard a lot about him from my seniors and have watched him closely. He has created history in wrestling,” Manisha told reporters during an interaction organised by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) on Sunday.
“I have been following Sabalenka since 2022, when I entered the senior circuit. I believe that if we follow an icon, we can become an icon ourselves. I have learnt from her that history can be created through hard work and continuous focus,” she added.
What fuelled Manisha Bhanwala at Worlds?
Just before the World Championships, Manisha exited the 2026 Asian Games in the quarterfinals after a loss to Paris 2024 Olympic champion Akari Fujinami of Japan. That loss fuelled Manisha to to create history in Astana. “I was very disturbed because the Asian Games were extremely important, and for some reason, I couldn’t secure a medal there,” she said.
“When I returned, I had a lot of frustration about why I could not win a medal there. After that, I had 10 days, so I practised continuously, and then came the World Championship. Somehow, I had a gut feeling that this time I would create history, and I did. The Wrestling Federation of India has also supported me and will continue to do so,” she said.
Manisha, who has competed in multiple weight categories during her career, said gaining experience as a senior wrestler helped her understand where she could perform better and eventually make a shift to the 57kg category with an eye on the Olympics.
“As we become senior, we gain more experience. Like earlier in 65kg I was junior. Then I realised I should play in 62kg. And then gradually I realised that maybe I can create history in the Olympics, so I chose 57kg,” she said.
Though the 59kg category is not part of the Olympic programme, Manisha believes competing against several wrestlers who also feature in the 57kg division could prove beneficial in the run-up to the Los Angeles Olympics.
Power of manifestation
For Manisha, the journey towards becoming a world champion has also been about visualising her destination long before reaching it. The wrestler believes in the power of positive thinking and manifestation, something she has practised by putting her ambitions down on paper, one day at a time.
She revealed that she has filled several diaries with reminders of her goals, even writing ‘World Champion’ after every practice session. “I have a lot of books behind me, and I can show you that I have written ‘World Champion’ after every practice session. I have filled so many books with these notes,” she said while displaying the diary.
Bhanwala also showed the book ‘Manifest’ that she has been reading, saying it has helped her understand the importance of controlling her mind and channelising her energy in the right direction.