Manisha Bhanwala scripted history on Friday, becoming the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the Wrestling World Championships and only the second wrestler from the country to achieve the feat after Sushil Kumar, who claimed the men’s 66kg title in 2010
Manisha Bhanwala’s name will now be forever etched in Indian sport history. On Friday, she became the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the Wrestling World Championships and only the second wrestler from the country to achieve the feat after Sushil Kumar, who claimed the men’s 66kg title in 2010. Manisha clinched the women’s 59kg gold with a sensational come-from behind 8-6 victory in the final against American Abigail Nette. Manisha was trailing 0-6 but mounted a tremendous comeback, showing nerves of steel to trump the Pam American champion to end India’s long wait for a woman world champion in wrestling.
Her triumph capped a historic campaign for Indian women’s wrestling, with three Indian women reaching the gold medal bouts in the same edition of the World Championships for the first time.
Neelam Sirohi (50kg) and Kajal Dhochak (76kg) had settled for silver on Thursday after losing their respective finals while Tanmu Sharma won a bronze.
Manisha had stormed into the final with a dominant semifinal performance against Kazakhstan’s Altyn Shagayeva.
MANISHAAA BHANWALA IS INDIA’S 1ST EVER SENIOR WOMEN’S 🤼WORLD CHAMP🥇🏆
Manisha BHANWALA made absolute history in Astana as she wins 1st Wrestling Global title since 2010 For India in Wrestling 🙌🏻🔥
Manisha def. Elizabeth
NETTE 🇺🇸 (8-6) in 59 Kg Final .#WrestleAstana https://t.co/b1eMdg0vfs
— Navin sports (@Navinsports) October 30, 2026
MANISHAAA BHANWALA IS INDIA’S 1ST EVER SENIOR WOMEN’S 🤼WORLD CHAMP🥇🏆Manisha BHANWALA made absolute history in Astana as she wins 1st Wrestling Global title since 2010 For India in Wrestling 🙌🏻🔥Manisha def. Elizabeth NETTE 🇺🇸 (8-6) in 59 Kg Final . #WrestleAstana https://t.co/b1eMdg0vfs
— Navin sports (@Navinsports) October 30, 2026
Know All About Manisha Bhanwala – India’s New World Champion
Date of Birth: 10 February 1997, Rohtak / Siwaha Village, Jind District, Haryana
Weight: 59kg (previously competed in 62kg and 65kg categories)
Height: 5’2″
Coaches: Mandeep Singh (Sir Chotu Ram Stadium) + Japanese coach Kosei Akaishi (Inspire Institute of Sport – IIS)
Career Milestones & Timeline
2013: Her father sent her to the akhada (wrestling arena) to lose weight for fitness. That is where her wrestling journey began.
2016: Cadet World Champion + South Asian Games Gold (60kg)
2018: World Military Games Gold (China)
2022, 2023, 2024: 3 consecutive Bronze medals at the Asian Championships.
2025: Asian Championships Gold in Amman, Jordan (62kg category). She bounced back from a 2-7 deficit to defeat North Korea’s Kim Ok-Ju 8-7, securing India’s first women’s gold in 4 years.
2023: Gold at the National Games in Goa.