Patience Key for Indian Women Wrestlers, Says Manisha Bhanwala

New Delhi: Manisha Bhanwala, who became the first Indian woman to win gold at the Senior World Wrestling Championships, hopes her success will inspire the next generation of wrestlers to aim for the highest level of the sport.

Her gold in the 59 kg category on Friday was a key moment in India's best-ever campaign at the Women's Wrestling World Championships 2026, where the country won four medals overall.

Speaking during a joint media interaction on Saturday, Manisha said she hoped many more Indian women would become world champions. "I want more and more girls to come forward as world champions, so that Indian women winning a world title is no longer an exception," she said. "Our goal is to break records again at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics."

The Indian medal list featured one gold, two silvers and one bronze, which secured fourth place in the medal table. Neelam Sirohi took silver in the 50 kg category, Kajal Dhochak won silver in the 76 kg category, and Tanu Sharma secured bronze in the 72 kg category.

In the team rankings, India finished fifth with 94 points. The United States, Japan, China and Ukraine were ranked above them.

The current performance is better than India's earlier best, which saw two medals each in 2012 and 2021. Those two championships were held in Olympic years, when participation and competitive intensity were comparatively lower.

Alongside her own milestone, Manisha offered counsel to her fellow wrestlers, especially Sirohi and Dhochak. She asked them to be patient and not to let a loss in a major competition define their careers. Referring to Dhochak's experience at 76 kg, she said some days do not go in one's favour. For Sirohi, competing in such a big and tough contest was a new experience.

Manisha said she had faced her own setbacks before reaching the top, and that patience had eventually brought her good results. She believes patience will be essential for the next generation of Indian women wrestlers as they work to build on the country's impressive showing.