The first thing Manisha Bhanwala wanted to show the world after becoming a world champion was not her medal. It was a white T-shirt carrying photographs of her parents.
Manisha Bhanwala became the first Indian woman wrestler to win a World Championships gold medal after defeating American Abigail Nette 8-6 in the final. Celebrating her victory, the 29-year-old held up a white T-shirt featuring photographs of her parents, dedicating the historic win to her late father, Suresh, who passed away in 2022.
Her father's sudden death from cardiac arrest nearly caused Bhanwala to quit wrestling ahead of the 2022 Asian Championships, but her family convinced her to keep competing. After previously wrestling in the 62kg, 65kg, and 57kg divisions, she captured the world title in Astana in the non-Olympic 59kg category.
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