Indian wrestler Manisha Bhanwala has revealed that years of training for high-pressure, last-second scoring situations gave her the mental edge to overcome a 0-6 deficit against Abigail Neto in the gold-medal bout of the Senior World Wrestling Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, scripting one of Indian wrestling's most dramatic victories. The 23-year-old became the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the Senior World Wrestling Championships, clinching the title in the women's 59kg category.

The Secret Behind the Comeback

Manisha credits her coaches and structured training drills — specifically scenarios where wrestlers must score within 30 seconds — for her composure when trailing by six points in the final. 'When we practise, 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,' she said at a media interaction facilitated by SAI Media on Sunday.

This deliberate simulation of crisis scenarios is increasingly common among elite Indian athletes but rarely credited so openly. Manisha's willingness to name the methodology adds rare behind-the-scenes clarity to a comeback that had stunned observers worldwide.

Asian Games Setback to World Gold in 10 Days

The victory followed a painful exit at the Asian Games, where Manisha failed to medal in the women's 57kg category — a result she described as deeply frustrating. '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.

With only 10 days between the Asian Games and the World Championships, Manisha made a calculated decision to compete in the heavier 59kg category rather than cut weight again for 57kg. She used that brief window to address specific technical gaps — a disciplined reset that ultimately paid off with the gold.

Los Angeles 2028 in Sight

Despite the World Championships gold coming in the 59kg category, Manisha confirmed she will return to the 57kg weight class for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics qualification process, as 59kg is not part of the Olympic programme. 'For the Los Angeles qualifiers next year, I want to compete in 57kg,' she said. She also flagged the importance of competing in all four ranking series events in 2027 to build qualification points and match readiness. 'If we play in those, we will get a lot of things which will make the Los Angeles qualifiers easy,' she added.

TOPS Support: 'It Changed a Lot'

Manisha acknowledged the role of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), under which she has been enrolled since 2024. The scheme provided monthly financial support and access to foreign training camps, both of which she said directly improved her competitive exposure and confidence. Notably, TOPS continued to back her even after the Asian Games disappointment, redirecting her focus toward the 2028 Olympics. '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.

India's Broader Medal Haul

Manisha's gold was the centrepiece of India's four-medal tally at the Senior World Wrestling Championships, which also included two silver medals and one bronze. The performance underlines India's growing depth in wrestling and sets up what promises to be a consequential Olympic qualification cycle heading into Los Angeles 2028.