Manisha Bhanwala turned a 0‑6 deficit into a historic gold at Astana’s Barys Arena, beating USA’s Abigail Nette in a thriller that had the crowd on its feet.
She ripped in two takedowns in the final minute, closing the gap to 8‑6 before sealing the win with a flawless counter‑attack that left Nette scrambling for a reset.
The turning point came halfway through the second period when a misstep by Nette allowed Bhanwala to grab the mat and surge ahead. Coach Virender Kumar said, “We knew she would pounce in the fifth minute; the plan worked.”
With the gold, Bhanwala becomes the first Indian woman to top the podium at the World Championships, and the first athlete of any gender since Sushil Kumar in 2010. At 29, she also holds the record as the oldest medalist among 24 Indians to ever win a world title.
Now the focus shifts to weight‑class changes and Olympic qualification. Bhanwala is eyeing the 57‑kg division for the LA 2028 Games, aiming to replicate her gold‑winning form on the biggest stage yet.