Manisha Bhanwala ended India’s 39-year wait for a women’s gold medal at the Wrestling World Championships on Friday, beating USA’s Abigail Elizabeth Nette 8-6 in the 59kg final in Astana, Kazakhstan. The 29-year-old from Rohtak became only the second Indian after Sushil Kumar, who won gold in 2010, to claim a world title for the country.
But behind the historic triumph was a deeply personal journey, one shaped by loss, perseverance and a promise to her father.
When Manisha left home for Mongolia in 2022, she was preparing for another important assignment in her wrestling career. Hours after beginning her journey to compete at the Asian Championships, however, came news that would change her life. Her father, Suresh, the man who had introduced her to wrestling and stood firmly behind her ambitions, had passed away.
The Wrestling Federation of India gave Manisha the option of returning home. She could have withdrawn from the competition, taken time to grieve and dealt with the loss of the person who had been her biggest source of encouragement. But she chose to carry on.
There was a reason. Her father’s advice to see through whatever she started stayed with her, even in the face of personal tragedy.
That resolve came to the fore once again in Astana. Trailing 1-6 at the end of the first period, Manisha needed something special in the remaining three minutes. She responded by scoring seven points to turn the final around and secure a historic gold.
At the Chhotu Ram Stadium in Rohtak, where Manisha has spent years honing her craft, coach Mandeep Saini had every reason to feel proud. He has watched her grow from a young wrestler into a world champion, witnessing the sacrifices and persistence that have defined her journey.
“World Championships, Asian Games, Olympic Games, these are all dreams for a wrestler. We were hoping that if she brought home the gold, our happiness would double,” Saini told IndiaToday.in.
For Saini, the result was also a reward for years of work behind the scenes. Manisha had not arrived in Astana as an overwhelming favourite, nor was this her first attempt at making an impression on the world stage. This was her fourth World Championships appearance. She had competed at the event every year since 2023 but had never finished on the podium.
This time, she made it count.
A JOURNEY THAT BEGAN WITH FITNESS
Manisha’s introduction to wrestling was not necessarily driven by an ambition to become a world champion. It began in 2013, when her father sent her to a training camp. What started as an attempt to improve her fitness gradually turned into a serious pursuit as she discovered her ability in the sport.
Her early association with wrestling was in Jind district of Haryana before she moved to Rohtak and began training at the Chhotu Ram Stadium. Saini remembers her joining the setup in 2012-13, briefly stepping away before returning to the sport.
What stood out was not necessarily an extraordinary natural gift but her attitude towards training.
“She trains very well and practises with a strong mindset. She has worked hard for so many years, and now she knows that she has to give her maximum. She trains with that commitment,” Saini said.
The journey was not without its difficult phases. Injuries, disappointments and the pressure of competing at the highest level tested her resolve. Manisha has previously spoken about becoming mentally stronger from 2021 onwards, learning to deal with setbacks rather than allowing them to derail her career.
The death of her father was perhaps the most difficult moment. He had been the person who introduced her to wrestling and supported her ambitions from the beginning. His absence could have left a void that was difficult to fill, but the responsibility of carrying forward his dream became a source of motivation.
“She was very depressed after losing her father. He had supported her from the beginning and was the one who had put her into the sport. When someone is so close to their father, it hurts a lot. But even after that, she went to the competition and won a medal. That was a matter of great joy,” Saini recalled.
“Playing the sport was also her father’s dream. That was something she had to fulfil,” he added.”
AGE IS JUST A NUMBER
At 29, Manisha is older than many of the wrestlers emerging on the international circuit. In a sport where physical conditioning, recovery and years of preparation play a significant role, age can often become a talking point. But Saini does not believe it should define her career.
In fact, he feels her experience has made her a more complete wrestler.
“Age does not matter much as long as you are training and your body is responding. She practises with the same dedication as a youngster who has just joined. In fact, she works even harder,” he said.
There is also a greater understanding of her own game, according to the coach. Having spent years competing against elite opponents, Manisha knows where she needs to improve and what she must do to remain competitive.
“Now she understands where she is weak and what she needs to work on. That experience is important. She knows what is required of her and trains accordingly,” Saini said.
Her career has also involved considerable adjustments to her weight categories. Manisha won gold in the 62kg category at the Asian Championships in Amman in 2025. She competed in the 57kg category at the 2026 Asian Games, where her campaign ended in the quarter-finals against Japan’s Akari Fujinami, the Paris Olympics gold medallist.
At the World Championships, she competed in the 59kg category, a non-Olympic weight division.
The transition has not been easy. Manisha had to make significant changes to her conditioning and training routines as she worked towards competing in lighter categories.
According to Saini, the decision was taken after considering her physique, especially her height, which made her vulnerable in higher weight categories.
“Initially, it was very difficult. You are maintaining your weight at 65–67 kg and then you have to bring it down. It is not easy. Even during training, maintaining that weight requires a lot of hard work,” he explained.
The support of the Inspire Institute of Sport, where Manisha has trained for a considerable part of her career, has also been important in her development. Training camps and technical inputs from Japanese coach Kosei Akaishi have helped her adapt her wrestling to the demands of international competition.
A COMEBACK TO REMEMBER
In Astana, Manisha showed just how much she had learnt from years of competing at the highest level.
She began her campaign with a 6-2 victory over Canada’s Laurence Beauregard in the pre-quarter-finals before producing a controlled 6-0 win against Mongolia’s Bolortuya Khurelkhuu in the quarter-finals.
The semi-final was her most emphatic performance. Facing Shagayeva in front of a home crowd, Manisha secured victory by fall to book her place in the gold medal bout.
The final against Nette, however, demanded something different. Down by four points at the interval, she had to find a way back against an opponent who had seized control early. Rather than allowing the deficit to overwhelm her, Manisha fought her way back, scoring seven points in the final three minutes to win 8-6.
It was the sort of performance that reflected the resilience her coach had spoken about.
Her triumph also came after a series of highs for Indian women’s wrestling in Astana. Neelam Sirohi and Kajal Dhochak had reached the finals in the 50kg and 76kg categories respectively, and finished with silver medals. Manisha ensured India would not leave Astana without a gold.
She became only the fourth Indian woman to reach a World Championships final, following Anshu Malik’s achievement in 2021, and the first to win gold.
At Chhotu Ram Stadium, where her journey began, Manisha’s gold will be remembered as the reward for years of persistence. For the wrestler herself, it will mean something more personal.
Her father is no longer around to witness the biggest moment of her career. But the words he left her with have stayed with her through the disappointments, the difficult weight cuts and four attempts at the World Championships.
She started the job. In Astana, she finished it.
– Ends
