'We prepare for such situations': Manisha reveals secret behind historic World Championships comeback

New Delhi: Indian wrestler Manisha Bhanwala revealed that years of practising for difficult match situations with her coaches helped her overcome a 0-6 deficit in the final of the Senior World Wrestling Championships and script a historic comeback to win a gold medal in the women's 59kg category in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Manisha, who became the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the Senior World Wrestling Championships, said she did not experience any mental pressure despite trailing Abigail Neto 0-6 in the gold-medal bout, as she had regularly trained for such challenging situations.

Manisha said her preparation for such situations, particularly the ability to score points in the final seconds, helped her turn the bout around and secure the historic triumph.

"When we practice, our coaches give us situations where we have to take points in 30 seconds or not. So, we practise on that. I had been working for a long time for that. I had to handle such situations. So, I practised, and it helped. There was no mental pressure there," Manisha said in a media interaction facilitated by SAI Media on Sunday.

The 23-year-old also reflected on her disappointment at the Asian Games, where she failed to win a medal in the women's 57kg category, but said she quickly shifted her focus to the World Championships, which were scheduled just 10 days later.

"I didn't think I would come without a medal from the Asian Games. The hard work I had put in and the amount of practice I had done made me believe that I would win a medal. I was very frustrated. How could this happen? But I don't focus on what has happened. I believe in what is next," she said.

"I had 10 days, so I focused on the World Championships. I worked on what I lacked during those 10 days. So, yes, it helped," she added.

Manisha eventually competed in the 59kg category in Astana, as she felt that the short gap between the two competitions would make it difficult to manage her weight and recovery for another appearance in the 57kg category.

Looking ahead to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, Manisha confirmed that she would target the 57kg category in the qualification events next year, as the 59kg category is not part of the Olympic programme. "For the Los Angeles qualifiers next year, I want to compete in 57kg," she said.

She also highlighted the importance of participating in the four ranking series competitions in 2027, saying they would help her prepare for the Olympic qualification events.

"The most important thing for us is to play in the four ranking series. If we play in those, we will get a lot of things which will make the Los Angeles qualifiers easy," she added.

The wrestler also acknowledged the support she has received through the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), under which she has been included since 2024. She said the financial assistance and exposure to international training camps had played an important role in her development.

"In our TOPS scheme, we get monthly pocket money. It is very important for a sportsperson. Many things are very expensive. We can't provide it to our family. There are many things. For example, we go to foreign camps, and TOPS helps us get there. We get a chance to practise with foreign players. It increases our confidence. We get to learn many things," Manisha said.

She further revealed that TOPS continued to back her even after her disappointing Asian Games campaign and encouraged her to shift her attention towards the Los Angeles Olympics.

"I have been in TOPS since 2024. TOPS has given me a lot of things. They always support me. Even when I lost a medal in the Asian Games, they told me to focus on Los Angeles. TOPS provides me with everything I need. I thank TOPS for that," she said.

Comparing the Asian Games and World Championships, Manisha said both competitions feature strong opponents and that it was difficult to determine which was tougher.

"In wrestling, Asia is very strong. The world is strong. How can I compare? Competition is competition. The best players come to Asia, and the best players come to the world. But in the world, there is a European edge. In Asia, there are Asian countries," she said.

Manisha's historic gold was part of India's four-medal haul at the World Championships, with the country also winning two silver medals and a bronze.

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