In Brief
- Historic Milestone: Manisha became the third Indian woman at this edition of the championships to reach a final, following teammates Kajal Dhochak (76kg) and Neelam Sirohi (50kg).
- Dominant Victory: She punched her ticket to the title bout by pinning Canada’s Laurence Beauregard early in her bracket run before dominating subsequent rounds to reach the 59kg final.
- Gold Medal Match: She will face Pan-American champion Abigail Elizabeth Nette of the United States as she aims to win India's first female world gold medal in wrestling history.
Indian wrestler Manisha Bhanwala delivered a commanding performance at the World Wrestling Championships, storming into the 59kg final after an emphatic pin against Canadian bronze medallist Laurence Beauregard.
With the win, the 29-year-old native of Haryana became the third Indian woman at this year's tournament—and the fourth in the nation's history—to advance to a World Wrestling Championship final. Manisha now stands just one victory away from accomplishing what no Indian female wrestler has ever achieved: winning a Senior World Championship gold medal.
A Dominant Run to the Title Match
Manisha's campaign in the 59kg division showcased both technical precision and endurance. She set the tone early in the tournament by pinning Canada’s Beauregard, a proven medal contender.
Carrying that momentum forward, Manisha controlled the mat in the quarterfinals with a dominant 6-0 victory over Mongolia’s Bolortuya Khurelkhuu. In the semifinals, she capped off her run with a victory by fall against home favourite Diana Shagayeva, silencing the local crowd and locking up her spot in the gold medal match.
Chasing Emotional and Historic Stakes
For Manisha, the journey to the final carries deep personal significance. Introduced to the sport 14 years ago by her father, Suresh, she has carried his memory throughout her career after his passing shortly into her rise in elite wrestling.
"My father always used to say, 'You have to finish a job if you have started it.' And now I have a job in hand," Manisha shared following her semifinal triumph. "The stakes are high as no Indian woman wrestler has won a gold in the Worlds so far... I want to win gold for the country."
India's Historic Campaign
Manisha’s final berth adds to a breakthrough tournament for the Indian women's contingent. Teammates Kajal Dhochak (76kg) and Neelam Sirohi (50kg) both reached the finals in their respective categories earlier in the week, securing silver medals for India.
To claim the elusive gold, Manisha will clash with reigning Pan-American champion Abigail Elizabeth Nette of the United States in the 59kg final.
