New Delhi: India’s wait for a gold medal at the 2026 Wrestling World Championships in Astana ended with a stunning performance by Manisha, who produced a remarkable comeback to defeat the US’ Abigail Nette 8-6 in the 59kg final.
Trailing 6-0 at one stage, Manisha turned the contest around with a series of attacking moves before securing a memorable victory. Her triumph marked India’s first gold medal at the championships and made her only the second Indian wrestler to become a world champion, according to United World Wrestling.
The dramatic victory came after two earlier opportunities slipped away, with Neelam in the 50kg category and Kajal in the 76kg category finishing with silver medals after losing their respective finals.
Manisha’s achievement also places her alongside Sushil Kumar in India’s wrestling history. Sushil had won the 66kg gold medal at the 2010 World Championships, making him the country’s first world champion in wrestling.
Sixteen years later, Manisha has added another landmark to India’s wrestling journey, ending the country’s wait for a second world champion with a gold medal won through determination and a remarkable fightback.
