Manisha Bhanwala Opens Up On Historic World Title, LA Olympics Dream And Her Father's Contribution

Manisha Bhanwala produced one of the most remarkable comebacks of the World Wrestling Championships in Astana, overcoming a six-point deficit to defeat USA's Abigail Nette 8-6 in the women's 59kg final. The victory not only earned her the world title but also made her the first Indian woman wrestler to become a senior World Champion.

With Nette establishing a commanding 6-0 advantage, Manisha found herself in a difficult position. However, rather than allowing the situation to overwhelm her, the Indian wrestler stepped up her aggression in the second period and gradually turned the contest around.

Explaining her approach during an interaction with the media organised by the Wrestling Federation of India, Manisha revealed how she managed to change the course of the final.

"Whenever I am in a situation where I am trailing by a big margin, I just throw myself into attack because I have nothing to lose. I did exactly that, took the bout till the end and drew her into my fight," said Manisha in an interaction from Astana organised by the Wrestling Federation of India.

The historic triumph was the culmination of years of hard work and persistence for the 29-year-old. Her journey to the top had not been straightforward, particularly after a disappointing outing at the Asian Games.

Manisha admitted that the setback had left her frustrated, but the support and encouragement of national coach Virender Dahiya helped her regain focus and channel her energy towards the World Championships.

"I did not perform that well at the Asian Games. I was frustrated, but the national coach (Virender Dahiya) told me to focus on the world championships and pushed me to train. So, we didn't waste any time and got back to training," said the 29-year-old. "It was a long-time dream. I have competed in many weight classes and in three world championships."

Behind Manisha's remarkable turnaround was a carefully planned strategy devised by coach Virender Dahiya. Having worked with the wrestler at national camps since 2022, Dahiya understood her strengths and knew that her superior endurance could become a decisive factor against Nette.

The coaching staff had studied the American wrestler's previous performances before the final and identified a pattern in her approach. Nette was particularly aggressive during the opening exchanges but tended to lose momentum as bouts progressed.

Dahiya believed Manisha could exploit that weakness by maintaining pressure and refusing to slow down, even when she was trailing.

"It was her experience that saw her through. We watched videos of her opponent (Abigail) the night before and realised she was aggressive at the start and lost steam towards the closing stages. Manisha has the endurance. I was not worried at the break (Manisha trailing 1-6) and just asked her to keep her attack going and tire out her opponent. It worked," said Dahiya, who has worked with Manisha in national camps since 2022.

Manisha's career has involved several changes in weight categories as she searched for the division best suited to her physique and wrestling style.

She initially competed in the 65kg category before moving down to 57kg and also establishing herself in the 62kg division. At the Asian Championships last year, she claimed gold in 62kg, adding to a collection of four Asian Championships medals.

Her previous World Championships appearances came in the 62kg category in 2023 and 65kg in 2024, before she returned to 62kg last year.

However, with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics in mind, Manisha subsequently decided to move to 57kg, one of the six Olympic women's wrestling weight categories.

She won gold at the national championships before representing India at the Asian Games. Following her historic World Championships success, the wrestler has confirmed that she intends to continue competing in the 57kg division at the senior national championships this year.

Manisha believes the experience of competing against several leading wrestlers in the non-Olympic 59kg category will also benefit her when she transitions to 57kg.

"The target is to qualify for LA, and 57kg being the Olympic weight, I will be preparing for that division. This title has given me the confidence. Several of the world wrestlers in 59kg whom I have competed against would switch to the Olympic weight (57kg) next year, so that will be an advantage for me. Maintaining my weight (57kg) is not an issue."

Manisha's gold medal was part of an impressive overall performance by the Indian women's wrestling contingent in Astana.

Neelam Sirohi secured silver in the 50kg category, while 18-year-old Kajal Dhochak also finished on the second step of the podium in the 76kg division. Both were competing in Olympic weight categories. Tanu Sharma added another medal to India's tally by winning bronze in the 72kg category.

The results have strengthened India's hopes of building a competitive women's wrestling squad ahead of the Los Angeles Olympics.

Dahiya stressed that the long-term objective is to secure qualification in all six women's Olympic weight categories. He also highlighted how Manisha's experience at major international competitions could prove valuable in the coming years.

"We want to qualify for the LA Olympics in all six weights, and we have wrestlers who can do that. Manisha will prepare for 57kg. She is 29, but she has competed in major events now and has the experience. That is more important. There are some other good youngsters also in 57kg. Kajal and Neelam lacked experience but they have showed what they can achieve," said Dahiya.

Beyond the sporting achievement, Manisha's World Championships victory carried a deeply personal meaning.

Hailing from Jind, Haryana, the wrestler celebrated her historic triumph in Astana wearing a T-shirt featuring her late father's photograph. Her father was one of the biggest influences behind her wrestling journey and played a crucial role in helping her pursue the sport.

His death in 2022 was a devastating personal setback. Manisha subsequently went through a difficult period, battling mental health challenges before finding the strength to return to competitive wrestling.

For her, becoming a World Champion was about much more than adding another medal to her collection. It was also an opportunity to fulfil a dream that she and her father had shared for years.

"My father did everything for me and was passionate about the sport. His contribution to making me a wrestler is huge. Since the time I started wrestling, I have had only one dream, to win something big in the sport."

From overcoming personal struggles to fighting back from a six-point deficit in a World Championship final, Manisha's journey has been a testament to resilience, determination and belief.

At 29, she has finally reached the summit of world wrestling. However, with the Los Angeles Olympics firmly in her sights, the historic gold medal could prove to be just another milestone in an even bigger journey.