New Delhi: Indian shooter Neeru Dhanda added another memorable moment for the country on Tuesday at the Asian Games 2026. In the final of women’s trap individual event, Neeru won the gold medal with 28 points. She left behind China’s Yunong Sun, who scored 26 points, while Kuwait’s Hajar Abdulmalik took the bronze medal with 21 points. With this victory of Neeru, India got its first gold in women’s individual trap in the Asian Games. Her score of 28 points also became an Asian record.
How did Neeru change the complexion of the match in the final?
In the final involving eight shooters, Neeru kept herself in the race for a medal from the beginning. The conditions were not easy in the match held amidst rain, but she remained focused on the target. Despite lapses on a few occasions, Neeru did not let the pressure affect her performance. As the match progressed, her position became stronger and in the final stages she secured the title by continuously hitting accurate shots. The score of 28 points in the final surpassed the previous Asian record of 24 points.
How did Neeru remain at the forefront even in the qualification?
Before the finals, Neeru had also performed strongly in the qualification. She got 118 marks out of 125 and was joint top with Qatar’s Ray Basil. This score of 118 was also the qualification record for the Asian Games. Her teammates Ashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer could not make it to the individual finals with scores of 106 and 104 respectively.
How many medals did India get in a single day?
For Neeru, Tuesday also started with a medal. In the women’s trap team event, the Indian team of Neeru, Ashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer won the silver medal by scoring 328 points. China finished first with 346 points, while Kuwait won bronze with 325 points. Even in the team event, Neeru was India’s most successful shooter and scored 118 points. After this, he completed her day with two medals by winning gold in the individual final.
Had Neeru made a record before also?
This year has brought continuous big achievements for Neeru. She won the individual gold medal in women’s trap at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup held in Lonato, Italy in July. She became the first Indian female shooter to win a World Cup individual gold in this event. Before this, she had also won gold in the Asian Shooting Championship. She also won a bronze medal in the trap mixed team event at the ISSF World Cup held in Almaty.
What impact did Neeru’s gold have on India’s medals?
With Neeru’s gold, India won its fifth gold in the Asian Games 2026. The Indian team now has 47 medals in its account, which includes five gold, 21 silver and 21 bronze. India’s campaign in shooting has also gone from strength to strength and Neeru’s achievement adds another important chapter to it.
