Indian grappler Manisha Bhanwala etched her name into the history books on Friday, October 30, 2026, becoming the first-ever Indian woman wrestler to win a gold medal at the World Wrestling Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan.
The 29-year-old produced a sensational comeback in the women’s 59kg category final, overturning a five-point deficit to defeat Pan American champion A Elizabeth Nette of the United States 8-6 in a thrilling encounter.
Sensational Comeback Clenches Historical Gold
Bhanwala faced an uphill task early in the final bout, trailing 1-6 at the end of the opening period against her American opponent. Drawing on her extensive international experience, the Jind-born wrestler launched a relentless offensive in the second period, securing seven unanswered points to seal the gold medal.
- Dominant En Route to the Final: Bhanwala reached the summit clash following a series of commanding performances, including pinfall victories over Canada’s Laurence Beauregard and Kazakhstan’s Altyn Shagayeva, alongside a tactical win over Mongolia’s Bolortuya Khurelkhuu.
- Category Strategic Shift: After competing in the 57kg Olympic weight class at the Asian Games, Bhanwala moved up to the non-Olympic 59kg category for the World Championships—a tactical decision that yielded India’s crowning wrestling moment.
Historic Milestone for Indian Women’s Wrestling
Before Bhanwala’s triumph, no Indian woman had ever stood atop the podium at the World Wrestling Championships. Anshu Malik held the previous best result with a silver medal in 2021 (57kg), while decorated wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Antim Panghal have previously secured bronze medals.
Across all formats, Bhanwala becomes only the second Indian wrestler to be crowned World Champion, joining two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar, who won gold in the men’s 66kg freestyle category at Moscow in 2010.
India’s women’s contingent capped off a stellar campaign in Astana, with Neelam Sirohi (50kg) and Kajal Dhochak (76kg) adding two silver medals to the national tally in their respective Olympic weight classes.
