Indian wrestler Manisha Bhanwala stormed into the 59kg final at the Senior Wrestling World Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, on Thursday, 29 October 2026, guaranteeing herself at least a silver medal, while Tanu Sharma claimed a hard-fought bronze in the 72kg category. India's medal haul at the tournament continues to grow in what is shaping up as one of the country's finest outings at a senior world wrestling event.

Manisha's Road to the Final

Manisha opened her campaign with a commanding 6-2 victory over Canada's Laurence Beauregard in the pre-quarterfinals, showing early dominance on the mat. She then raised her game further in the semifinals, defeating Mongolia's Bolortuya Khurelkhuu to secure India's place in the gold medal bout. She will face USA's Abigail Elizabeth Nette in the 59kg final on Friday, with a world title within reach.

Tanu Sharma Clinches 72kg Bronze

In the 72kg weight category, Tanu Sharma delivered a composed third-place play-off, defeating USA's Precious Rosanna Bell by a convincing 9-5 scoreline to step onto the podium. The victory rewards Tanu's consistent performances throughout the event and adds valuable ranking points for Indian wrestling.

Mixed Fortunes for Other Indian Wrestlers

Ahilya Shinde bowed out in the quarterfinals of the 55kg category. She had looked sharp in the round of 16, registering an 8-1 win over Cuba's Yaynelis Sanz Verdecia, but ran into a strong challenge from Türkiye's Tuba Demir, losing 6-9 at the last-eight stage.

In men's freestyle, Vicky Hooda kept his medal aspirations alive in the 97kg division after suffering a 2-12 technical superiority defeat to Japan's Arash Yoshida in the quarterfinals. However, with Yoshida advancing to the final, Vicky was pulled into the repechage round, giving him a second chance at a podium finish. By contrast, Sujeet Kalkal's campaign in the 65kg division ended after he lost his quarterfinal bout 3-3 on criteria to Abdulmazhid Kudiev, an elimination that could not be reversed through repechage.

Kajal and Neelam's Historic Silver Medals

On Wednesday, Kajal Dhochak and Neelam Sirohi had already made history by becoming the first two Indian women to contest finals at the same edition of the World Championships. 18-year-old Kajal, making her senior World Championships debut after two U20 world titles, battled fiercely in the 76kg final before losing 6-8 to Ukraine's Anastasiya Alpyeyeva. She had earlier demonstrated extraordinary resilience, recovering from a 1-7 deficit to beat Kyrgyzstan's Aiperi Medet Kyzy 10-7 in the semifinals. 26-year-old Neelam faced Japan's formidable four-time world champion Yui Susaki in the 50kg final, ultimately losing by fall after trailing 0-5. She had reached the bout with a 7-3 semifinal win over Kazakhstan's Zeinep Bayanova.

This landmark achievement builds on the breakthrough by Anshu Malik, who became the first Indian woman to reach a Wrestling World Championships final back in 2021. India's cumulative performances at Astana mark a genuine generational step-up for the country's women's wrestling programme.

India's Medal Tally and What's Next

With the championships still ongoing, India's medal count stands at a minimum of three — two silvers from Kajal and Neelam, and Tanu's bronze — and could rise further if Manisha wins gold on Friday and Vicky Hooda progresses through repechage. All eyes now turn to the 59kg final, where Manisha's clash with Nette will be India's best chance of a world title at these championships.