Haryana’s Neeru Dhanda, on Tuesday, created history by becoming the first Indian female shooter to secure a gold medal in the women’s trap competition at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.
India finally ended its 10-day wait for an individual gold medal at the Asian Games, with the breakthrough coming in the shotgun shooting discipline rather than the traditionally celebrated rifle or pistol events.
Neeru Dhanda produced a remarkable performance, hitting 28 of 30 targets to surpass the previous Asian record by four shots. China’s Sun Yunong secured the silver medal with a score of 26/30, while Kuwait’s Hajar Abdulmalik finished third with 21/25 to claim bronze.
Neeru Dhanda has created a landmark moment for Indian shooting at the Asian Games. Before her triumph in 2026, no Indian woman had won an individual gold medal in the trap event during the 75-year history of the continental competition. Neeru has now become the first to achieve the feat.
Her impressive run had begun in the qualification stage, where she finished at the top of the standings. She shared first place with a shooter from Qatar, with both athletes registering a score of 118.
India Waited 48 Years For Individual Trap Gold
India’s previous individual Asian Games gold in trap shooting came way back in 1978, when Randhir Singh won the men’s individual event. Since then, Indian shooters had been unable to claim another gold in an individual trap competition at the Asian Games.
For Neeru, 2026 has been a breakthrough year on the international stage. In July, she became the first Indian woman to win a trap-shooting gold medal at the ISSF World Cup, achieving the feat at the Shotgun World Cup in Italy.
Neeru Delivers India’s Fifth Gold
Neeru’s historic victory has taken India’s gold-medal tally at the 2026 Asian Games to five. India’s earlier gold medals came through the women’s cricket team, the men’s and women’s kabaddi teams, and shooters Kamaljeet and Suruchi Singh. With Neeru’s gold added to the tally, India’s overall medal count has reached 47.
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