Sabalenka, Ronaldo: Manisha Bhanwala reveals her sporting icons after historic gold

For Manisha Bhanwal, becoming a world champion was a dream she wrote down countless times. But the Indian wrestler’s journey to the top was also shaped by the sporting icons she looked up to, from wrestling great Sushil Kumar to tennis star Aryna Sabalenko and soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.

Bhanwala, India’s first ever senior world champion in wrestling, revealed that the three athletes inspired her in different ways, with Sabalenka’s journey leaving a particularly strong impression on her.

“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 learned from her that history can be made with hard work and constant focus,” Bhanwala told reporters during an interaction organized by the Sports Authority of India (SAI).

The 29-year-old also spoke of her admiration for former world champion and Olympic medalist Sushil Kumar, whose achievements and work ethic left a lasting impression on her.

“First, Sushil pehlwan. He was known for his hard work. I heard a lot about him from my seniors and watched him closely. He made history in wrestling,” she said.

Cristiano Ronaldo adds to his list of sporting idols, highlighting how Bhanwala draws inspiration from athletes across disciplines.

SABALENKA HER INSPIRATION

While wrestling and tennis may have little in common, Bhanwala found inspiration in Sabalenka’s relentless pursuit of excellence. The Indian wrestler, who has followed the Belarusian since entering the senior circuit in 2022, believes the tennis star’s work ethic offers valuable lessons.

“I’ve been following Sabalenka since 2022, when I joined the senior circuit. I believe that if we follow an icon, we can become an icon ourselves. I learned from her that history can be made with hard work and constant focus,” she said.

FROM HEARTBREAK TO HISTORY

Bhanwal’s own path to making history was far from straightforward. The wrestler admitted that missing out on a medal at the Asian Games earlier this year took a toll on her mentally, especially given how important the competition was to her.

But she had little time to dwell on the disappointment. With the World Championships just 10 days away, Bhanwala channeled her frustration into training and ended up producing the biggest performance of her career to win gold in the women’s 59kg freestyle category.

“It’s a really good feeling and I’m very proud. This year was quite challenging for me mentally because we had the Asian Games this year. I was very worried because the Asian Games were extremely important and for some reason I couldn’t secure a medal there.”

“When I came back I was very frustrated as to why I couldn’t win a medal there. After that I had 10 days so I trained non-stop and then the World Championships came.

“Somehow I felt that I will create history this time and I did. The Wrestling Federation of India has also supported me and will continue to do so,” she told PTI Videos.

The 29-year-old’s gold medal-winning performance was particularly remarkable given the circumstances of the final. Trailing American Abigail Nette 0-6, Bhanwala staged a stunning comeback to secure an 8-6 victory.

She revealed that her opponent’s aggressive approach ultimately played into her favor, allowing her to turn the match around and secure a historic triumph.

EYES ON THE LA OLYMPICS

Bhanwala, who has competed in multiple weight classes throughout her career, believes the experience has helped her understand where she can be most effective. She has now set her sights on the 57kg category, which is on the Olympic program, and is looking to continue towards the Los Angeles Olympics.

“As we become senior, we gain more experience. Like before, I was a junior at 65kg. Then I realized that I should play up to 62kg. And then gradually I realized that maybe I can make history in the Olympics, so I chose 57kg,” she said.

Although the 59kg category is not part of the Olympic programme, Bhanwala believes that competing against several wrestlers who also feature in the 57kg division will help her prepare for the qualifying events.

“When it comes to 59 kg, many wrestlers are already there from 57 kg. For example, the European wrestler I had a match with was the European champion and she will be with me in the upcoming qualification rounds. So that became a plus point for me and I feel that next year will be quite good for me.”

MANIFESTING YOUR DREAMS

For Bhanwala, the pursuit of excellence also included a strong belief in positive thinking and expression. The wrestler revealed that she kept several diaries in which she repeatedly wrote down her ambitions, including the words “world champion” after each training session.

“I have a lot of books and I can show you that I wrote ‘World Champion’ after every practice. I filled so many books with those notes,” she said, showing her journal.

Bhanwala also spoke about reading the book ‘Manifesto’, which she believes helped her understand the importance of controlling her thoughts and directing her energy towards a single goal.

“These books teach me how to control my mind. The energy we have should be used in one place, rather than divided into ten different things. Reading makes my mind sharper and helps me think better,” she said.

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