Manisha Bhanwala Credits Late Father for World Championship Success

New Delhi, October 31 (Daily Kiran) : Manisha Bhanwala made history by becoming the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the Senior World Wrestling Championships, held in Astana, Kazakhstan. The 23-year-old wrestler attributed her success to the invaluable lessons imparted by her late father, Suresh Bhanwala. He instilled in her the belief that one should not start a task unless they are committed to finishing it.

In a media interaction organized by the Wrestling Federation of India, Manisha reflected on her father’s teachings. “He taught me from a young age that if you start something, you must see it through. This lesson has become part of who I am. If you don’t intend to complete something, then don’t start at all. For me, wrestling is my first and last choice,” she stated.

Manisha’s journey to gold included a remarkable comeback in the final match of the 59-kilogram category. She defeated Canada’s Laurence Beuregard 6-2 in the pre-quarterfinals and overcame Mongolia’s Bolortuya Khurelkhuy in the semifinals. India concluded the championship with a total of four medals, including two silver and one bronze, alongside Manisha’s historic gold.

Tanushree Sharma secured a bronze in the women’s 72-kilogram category, while Kajal Dhochak and Neelam Sirohi earned silver medals. Manisha expressed her disappointment at not medaling in the Asian Games but noted that this setback fueled her determination to focus on the World Championships.

“Luck was not on my side at the Asian Games, and I felt only disappointment. I kept discussing wrestling, practice, and recovery with my coach, who reminded me that the next target was the World Championship. I still remember him saying that God has something big planned for me,” she recounted.

Emotionally connected to her parents during the competition, Manisha wore a white T-shirt featuring their pictures during warm-ups. “There was no specific idea behind it; it was purely emotional. I felt deep inside that I would return with a medal and a record,” she shared.

Looking ahead to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, she noted that her weight category of 59 kilograms will not be included. However, she believes that some competitors may transition to the 57-kilogram category, which could work to her advantage during the qualification cycle. “Some girls from my category may move to 57 kilograms for the Olympics, which could be beneficial since the same competitors will also be part of the qualifying events in 2027,” she explained.