Showcasing a stellar performance at the World Championships in Kazakhstan's Astana, India's Manisha Bhanwala clinched gold.
She made a sensational comeback from a six-point deficit to beat American Abigail Nette 8-6 in the women's 59kg final. With this feat, Manisha has also become the country's first woman to win a World Championships gold and only the second Indian overall to achieve the feat after Sushil Kumar, who had claimed the men's 66kg title in 2010. Manisha's win has also ended India's long wait for a world champion.
Earlier, Neelam Sirohi (50kg) and Kajal Dhochak (76kg), who were also a part of this campaign, had settled for silver, but Manisha pulled off one of the most memorable comebacks, securing gold for the country.
Nette came out aggressively, launching a right-leg attack before securing a tight grip and lifting Manisha's leg to gain control. The Indian fought desperately for nearly 30 seconds but was eventually thrown from near the edge of the mat, conceding a four-pointer.
With Nette leading 5-0, Manisha tried to push her opponent out of the mat, but the American cleverly circled away. Manisha was subsequently handed a caution, taking the score to 6-0 in Nette's favour.
Coming out with renewed determination in the second period, Manisha turned the contest on its head with a remarkable seven-point burst. With just 27 seconds remaining, the Indian defended with everything she had against a tiring Nette, refusing to surrender her advantage. When the final whistle sounded, Manisha had done what no Indian woman had managed before.
(With PTI inputs)
