Manisha Bhanwala becomes first Indian woman to win senior wrestling world title

Manisha Bhanwala won the 59 kg freestyle gold at the World Wrestling Championships in Astana on October 30, becoming the first Indian woman to claim a senior world title. She beat Abigail Nette of the United States 8-6 after falling behind 0-6 early in the bout. The 29-year-old from Rohtak is only the second Indian wrestler after Sushil Kumar, who took the men’s 66 kg title in 2010, to stand atop the senior world podium.

Bhanwala opened her campaign with a 6-2 win over Laurence Beauregard of Canada, then shut out Bolortuya Khurelkhuu of Mongolia 6-0 in the quarter-finals. She pinned home favourite Altyn Shagayeva of Kazakhstan in the semi-final after conceding only two points. In the final Nette scored first and led 6-0. Bhanwala closed the gap in the second period with a series of scoring moves, including a gut wrench, and took the lead with a late takedown to finish 8-6.

India collected four medals at the championships, all in women’s freestyle: Bhanwala’s gold, silver for Kajal Dhochak in the 76 kg class and Neelam Sirohi in the 50 kg class, and bronze for Tanu Sharma at 72 kg. The total surpasses the previous best of one silver and one bronze from 2021. For the first time in the 35-year history of the event, Indian women reached three finals in the same edition. Two of the medals came in Olympic weight categories and two in non-Olympic classes.

Bhanwala had competed at three previous senior World Championships without reaching the podium. She won the Asian title the year before. Her path included the loss of her father, Suresh, who had introduced her to the sport. The victory came after a quarter-final exit at the Asian Games in the 57 kg category. Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya congratulated her on the result.

The performance places Indian women’s wrestling ahead of its earlier record. Anshu Malik had reached a final in 2021 and finished with silver. Bhanwala is the oldest of the 24 Indians who have won medals at the World Championships. The four-medal haul gives the women’s programme its strongest single-championship showing. Future selection for Olympic weights will draw on the same group that produced two finalists and one bronze medallist in non-Olympic classes as well.

Astana’s Barys Arena hosted the finals. The result ends a 16-year gap since India’s last senior world gold. Coaching staff and the Wrestling Federation of India now have a documented senior champion in the women’s ranks to reference for training cycles and ranking points. The next major tests for the same athletes will come in continental championships and the Olympic qualifying window.