New Delhi, Nov 2 — Having scripted history at the World Wrestling Championships in Astana, Manisha Bhanwala has pointed out how the Pro Wrestling League (PWL) played a crucial part in her historic gold medal win at the Worlds.
Manisha became the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the Senior World Wrestling Championships after winning a yellow metal in the 59kg category a few days ago. The win marked a comeback for the Rohtak-born grappler, who had missed out on an Asian Games medal.
She reflected that she began training immediately after reaching India as she was frustrated with the Asiad outcome. "After that quarterfinal bout in the Asian Games against Japan's Akari, I was filled with frustration because I knew how much work I had put in," said Manisha.
"I landed in India on a Monday morning and was back at the training hall by evening. My coach told me to rest and focus on recovery, but I asked him, ‘Did I win a medal that I should sit back and recover?’ In those ten days between the Asian Games and the World Championships, I pushed myself without stopping. I knew I could not sit peacefully until I achieved what I set out to do," she added.
Manisha added that the mindset came from the PWL, where the wrestlers have short turnarounds between matches, and the league also pits them against some of the best in the world. "In traditional tournaments, you get weeks between events, but the Pro Wrestling League throws you straight into the fire," explained Manisha.
"You wrestle a world-class bout today and have to reset your mindset immediately for another one tomorrow. That routine taught me to control my emotions and stay calm. When I made the world final in Astana, I put my phone away and conserved all my nervous energy, just like we do during back-to-back league ties," she added.
The grappler also stated that the league helps wrestlers play against foreign champions, which help them give the belief that the Indian wrestlers can also beat anyone in the world.
"Earlier, you only saw foreign champions across the mat at international events, which created a bit of hesitation,” she said. "In the PWL, you share the locker room and training mats with them. I spent weeks sparring and analysing holds with world champions like Bilyana Dudova and top wrestlers from Armenia.
"Once you train together daily, you realise they are human too. It gave me the conviction that Indian wrestlers can dominate on any stage," she said.
She will be seen in action during the PWL Season 6 in January 2027, as she will test herself on the mat before moving down to the Olympic weight category of 57kg.
"My coaches often joke that my attacks do not even have official names because of my attacking style," Manisha added. "Season 6 in Delhi is happening at the perfect time because the Olympic qualifiers begin next year. Real match practice under bright lights against elite foreign opponents will give me the sharpness I need to earn that Olympic quota.”
"Many people still assume wrestling is only about raw muscle or mud pits, but it is a game of microseconds where your brain has to work faster than your limbs. The PWL brings that speed and strategy to television, showing everyone just how modern and technical our sport is," she said.