Manisha Bhanwala names Sabalenka, Sushil Kumar and Cristiano Ronaldo as her sporting icons after world title
Manisha Bhanwala on 1 November 2026 said she draws inspiration from Aryna Sabalenka, Sushil Kumar and Cristiano Ronaldo during an interaction organised by the Sports Authority of India, following her gold medal in the women's 59kg at the World Championships.
The 29-year-old described becoming a world champion as a long-held, written-down ambition and displayed diaries in which she records that goal. "I have a lot of books behind me, and I can show you that I have written 'World Champion' after every practice session. I have filled so many books with these notes," she said while displaying her diary.
Bhanwala singled out Sabalenka for particular influence and said she has followed the tennis player since moving to the senior circuit. "I have been following Sabalenka since 2022, when I entered the senior circuit. I believe that if we follow an icon, we can become an icon ourselves. I have learnt from her that history can be created through hard work and continuous focus," she told reporters during the SAI interaction. She also paid tribute to the work ethic of former world champion and Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar: "First of all, Sushil pehlwan. He was known for his hard work. I have heard a lot about him from my seniors and have watched him closely. He has created history in wrestling," she said. Cristiano Ronaldo completes her list of sporting idols.
Bhanwala recounted the mental strain after failing to win a medal at the Asian Games and said she channelled that frustration into preparation with only 10 days before the World Championships. "It feels really good and I feel very proud. This year was quite tough for me mentally because we had the Asian Games this year. I was very disturbed because the Asian Games were extremely important, and for some reason, I couldn't secure a medal there. When I returned, I had a lot of frustration about why I could not win a medal there. After that, I had 10 days, so I practised continuously, and then came the World Championship. Somehow, I had a gut feeling that this time I would create history, and I did. The Wrestling Federation of India has also supported me and will continue to do so," she told PTI Videos.
In the World Championship final Bhanwala overturned a 0-6 deficit to American Abigail Nette and secured an 8-6 victory. She said her opponent's aggressive approach eventually played into her hands, allowing her to turn the contest around and clinch the title.
Bhanwala described how competing across weight categories informed her decision to shift towards the Olympic weight class. "As we become senior, we gain more experience. Like earlier in 65kg I was junior. Then I realised I should play in 62kg. And then gradually I realised that maybe I can create history in the Olympics, so I chose 57kg," she said.
On the decision to win gold in a non-Olympic 59kg division while targeting the 57kg Olympic class, Bhanwala noted the overlap in opponents and the value of the experience. "As for 59kg, many of the wrestlers there are already from 57kg. For example, the European wrestler with whom I had a bout has been a European champion, and she will be with me in the upcoming qualification rounds. So this became a plus point for me, and I feel that next year will be quite good for me."
Bhanwala said reading and focused mental practice help her channel energy toward a single objective as she builds toward the Olympics. "These books teach me how to control my mind. The energy we have should be used in one place rather than spreading it across ten different things. Reading makes my mind sharper and helps me think better," she said, as she outlined her plan to target the 57kg category on the Olympic programme while preparing for the Los Angeles Olympics.