India’s long wait for a women’s gold medal at the Wrestling World Championships ended on Friday as Manisha Bhanwala produced a stunning comeback to defeat American wrestler Abigail Nette 8-6 in the 59kg final in Astana, Kazakhstan.

The 29-year-old wrestler from Rohtak, Haryana, overturned a four-point deficit to secure the landmark victory, becoming only the second Indian wrestler after Sushil Kumar in 2010 to win gold at the World Championships.

Manisha’s triumph came after India had two other women reach the gold medal bouts at this edition of the competition. Neelam Sirohi, competing in the 50kg category, and Kajal Dhochak, in the 76kg division, both finished with silver medals.

A remarkable comeback seals the title

Manisha faced an uphill battle against Nette in the final, trailing 1-5 at the end of the opening period. With the gold medal slipping away, the Indian wrestler mounted an aggressive challenge in the final three minutes, scoring seven points to turn the contest around and win 8-6.

The victory capped a determined performance under pressure and secured her place in Indian wrestling history.

Fourth Indian woman to reach a World Championships final

Manisha became the fourth Indian woman to reach a final at the Wrestling World Championships. Anshu Malik had achieved the distinction first in 2021, while Neelam and Kajal joined the list in the current edition in Astana.

Although Neelam and Kajal had to settle for silver, Manisha converted her opportunity into gold, delivering a breakthrough result for Indian women’s wrestling.

Her win ends a 39-year wait for India to claim a women’s gold at the global championships and adds another major achievement to the country’s wrestling record.

For Manisha, the victory is also a testament to her resilience: after falling behind early in the final, she refused to give up and produced the decisive scoring burst when it mattered most.