Manisha Bhanwala Makes History: 'I Want More Indian Girls to Become World Champions'

Indian wrestler Manisha Bhanwala wants her historic World Wrestling Championships gold medal to inspire more girls to take up the sport and achieve success at the highest level. After becoming the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the Senior World Wrestling Championships, Manisha believes her biggest achievement will be seeing more Indian female wrestlers become world champions.

Manisha created history on Friday by winning the women's 59kg gold medal at the 2026 World Wrestling Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan. She defeated America's Abigail Nette 8-6 in a dramatic final after recovering from a 6-0 deficit.

Speaking during a joint media interaction with IANS on Saturday, Manisha said she hopes future generations of Indian wrestlers will break her record and make winning world titles a regular achievement for the country.

"Records are meant to be broken, and I want this record and achievement to be surpassed in the future. I want to see as many girls as possible emerge as world champions, so that winning a world title becomes the norm for Indian female wrestlers rather than an exception," she said.

She also expressed her ambition to help India set new records at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

India Records Best-Ever Performance at Women's Wrestling World Championships

India enjoyed a memorable campaign at the 2026 World Wrestling Championships, finishing with four medals: one gold, two silver and one bronze.

Manisha Bhanwala secured the historic gold medal in the 59kg category. Neelam Sirohi won silver in the 50kg category, while Kajal Dhochak claimed silver in the 76kg category. Tanu Sharma completed India's medal tally with a bronze medal in the 72kg category.

India finished fourth in the medal standings and fifth in the team rankings with 94 points, behind the United States, Japan, China and Ukraine.

The four-medal haul marked India's best-ever performance at the Women's Wrestling World Championships. The country's previous best returns were two medals each in the 2012 and 2021 editions.

Manisha Bhanwala's Message to Neelam Sirohi and Kajal Dhochak

Beyond celebrating her own achievement, Manisha also offered words of encouragement to fellow Indian wrestlers Neelam Sirohi and Kajal Dhochak, who finished with silver medals.

She urged both wrestlers to remain patient and not allow a disappointing result in a major final to affect their confidence or future ambitions.

Manisha pointed out that competing at a high-pressure international event can be a challenging experience, particularly for wrestlers who are still gaining exposure at the senior level.

She said that sometimes an athlete simply has a difficult day and that one defeat should not define an entire career. Referring to Kajal's and Neelam's experiences, she encouraged them to keep working hard and wait for their next opportunities.

Manisha Says Patience Played a Key Role in Her Success

Manisha also reflected on her own journey, explaining that she had experienced setbacks before reaching the top of international wrestling.

According to her, patience and persistence were important factors in her eventual success. She believes the same approach can help other Indian women wrestlers overcome difficult moments and achieve their goals.

Her message comes after a breakthrough campaign for India's women's wrestling team, which delivered its strongest-ever medal performance at the competition.

Manisha Bhanwala Eyes More Success Ahead of LA Olympics 2028

Following her historic world title, Manisha will now have another important challenge as she prepares for the road to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

She will need to move down from the 59kg category to 57kg to compete in the Olympic weight division and adapt to the demands of the category.

Her World Championships victory has given Indian women's wrestling a landmark achievement. However, Manisha wants the success to become the beginning of a much bigger journey.

For her, the real victory will come when more Indian girls win world titles, break existing records and establish India as a consistent force in international women's wrestling.