Manisha Bhanwala Clinches India’s First Gold at Asian Wrestling Championship 2025
Amman (Jordan), March 28 — Indian wrestler Manisha Bhanwala made history by winning India’s first gold medal at the Asian Wrestling Championship since 2021. She triumphed in the women’s 62kg category, securing a hard-fought 8-7 victory over Korea’s Ok J Kim in the final. Additionally, Antim Panghal earned a bronze medal in the 53kg category during the tournament held in Amman, Jordan, on Friday night.
Manisha delivered an impressive performance throughout the championship. She began her journey with a dominant technical superiority win over Kazakhstan’s Tynys Dubek. She then pinned Korea’s Hanbit Lee, securing another convincing victory. In the semi-finals, she defeated Kalmira Bilimbek Kyzy with a comfortable score of 5-1. In the thrilling final, Manisha initially trailed 2-7 but staged a remarkable comeback, scoring six consecutive points to claim her maiden Asian Championship gold medal.
Before this historic achievement, Manisha had finished on the podium three times at the tournament, but all of those were bronze medals. Her gold medal represents a significant milestone, as India last secured top honors in the 2021 edition when Vinesh Phogat and Sarita Mor both won gold in Almaty.
In the 53kg category, 20-year-old Antim Panghal rebounded from a disappointing Olympic performance to claim a bronze medal. She had a strong start by defeating China’s Jin Zhang in the quarterfinals. However, in the semifinals, she faced a challenging opponent in Japan’s Moe Kiyooka, who won by technical superiority.
In the bronze medal match, Panghal showcased her skills by defeating Taipei’s Meng H Hsieh by technical superiority without allowing any points against her.
Meanwhile, Indian wrestlers Neha Sharma (57kg), Monika (65kg), and Jyoti Beriwal (72kg) were unable to advance to the medal rounds.
With Manisha’s gold medal, India’s wrestling contingent has now secured one gold, one silver, and six bronze medals at the tournament, which includes two in the Greco-Roman category. The men’s freestyle competition is set to begin on Saturday.
Source: The Print
