Manisha Bhanwala becomes first Indian woman to win wrestling world gold
The wrestler from Jind, Haryana, overcame a six-point deficit to defeat American Abigail Nette in the 59kg final.
NEW DELHI: Wrestler Manisha Bhanwala became the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the World Wrestling Championships on Friday. Competing in the 59kg category in Astana, Kazakhstan, Bhanwala secured an 8-6 victory against American Abigail Nette.
During the final, Bhanwala trailed by six points. She stated that she challenged a scoring decision that was rejected but maintained her belief that she could turn the match around.
Bhanwala, who is from Jind, Haryana, said she uses a wrestling style similar to the Iranian style. She noted that her training focuses on dominating the first three minutes before relying on patience and stamina.
The athlete is only the second Indian to win a World Championships wrestling title, following Sushil Kumar in 2010. Bhanwala expressed her ambition to win gold at the Los Angeles Olympics.
Following her victory, Bhanwala placed her medal and a photo of her late father near her pillow. She also made a video call to her mother and brother before sleeping.