New Delhi: Manisha Bhanwala created history on Friday by defeating the United States’ Abigail Nette 8-6 in the women’s 59kg final at the World Wrestling Championships, ending India’s long wait for a women’s world champion.
The 29-year-old staged a remarkable comeback after trailing 6-0 to claim the gold medal, becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to win a world championship title. She is also only the second Indian wrestler to win a senior world championship gold, after Sushil Kumar, who won the men’s 66kg title in 2010.
Manisha’s victory made the championships historic for the Indian women’s team, with three Indian wrestlers reaching the finals for the first time. However, Neelam Sirohi (50kg) and Kajal Dhochack (76kg) had to settle for silver medals after losing their respective finals on Thursday.
The final tested Manisha’s composure and fighting spirit. Nette made an aggressive start, taking a commanding 6-0 lead and putting the Indian wrestler under considerable pressure.
Manisha, however, responded strongly in the second period. She defended against her opponent’s attacks and used effective takedowns to claw her way back into the contest.
With a series of well-executed moves, she levelled the score at 6-6 before securing two more points to take an 8-6 lead. She held on to complete an outstanding comeback and secure the historic gold medal for India.
