Nishu emerges stronger from Vinesh bout, seals Worlds berth

New Delhi: Nishu Bhanwala emerged as a fresh and exciting talent in the 53kg weight class after a fiercely contested bout against stalwart Vinesh Phogat in May. The U-23 World Championships bronze medallist almost pulled off a sensational pin against Vinesh during her high-profile return to the mat in the Asian Games trials.

Nishu’s fast attacks caught Vinesh, who was returning to action after motherhood and a long gap, off guard multiple times. Vinesh trailed 0-5 in the first period before turning the tables on Nishu and progressing to the semi-finals, where she eventually lost to Meenakshi.

Nishu went back to the SAI centre in Hisar and steeled her resolve to come back stronger for the World Championships. On Monday, she won the 53kg trials, beating Thiksha by technical superiority in the final bout, and will now represent India at the Worlds in Kazakhstan from October. Her path was also cleared because Antim Panghal, who is part of the Asian Games squad, will compete in the non-Olympic 55kg weight class when the final trials are held after the Asian Games.

“It is a big moment for me. I have put in a lot of hard work to come this far,” said Nishu. “I was very close to beating Vinesh and was feeling disappointed, but then I moved on. In wrestling, you win some bouts and lose some. There is no point thinking too much. From that same day, I started preparing for the World Championships trials. I comfortably won all the bouts today,” the wrestler from Jind, Haryana, told HT.

Last year, she won bronze in the 55kg category at the U-23 World Championships after upsetting the 2024 world champion Japanese wrestler Moe Kiyooka by fall. This year, she has moved down to the 53kg weight class with an eye on the Asian Games and the World Championships.

“I have been fighting in 55kg, but the target was to compete in the Olympic weight class this year. I am happy that I will be part of the team for the World Championships. It is a big opportunity for me.”

In the 53kg weight class, India has won four bronze medals, with Vinesh and Antim claiming two each. Nishu, therefore, will have a strong reputation to preserve.

“It is one of the strongest weight classes in domestic competition and winning at home gives you a lot of confidence,” said Nishu.

The 53kg weight class, along with 57kg and 68kg, was one of the three categories sealed on Monday. Simran (57kg) and Shrishti (68kg) also earned berths for the World Championships.

“Antim (53kg) and Manisha (57kg) have expressed interest in taking trials in the non-Olympic weight classes — 55kg and 59kg — at the worlds. In 68kg, Asian Games-bound Nisha Dahiya informed that she will not take the trials for the World Championships. Therefore, these weights are sealed,” a Wrestling Federation of India official told HT.

In 50kg (Neelam), 57kg (Simran), 62kg (Tapsya) and 76kg (Kajal), the wrestlers who won the trials on Monday will have to face the Asian Games squad members later to finalise the team.