Published: September 29, 2026 at 2:08 pm
India’s women’s trap shooters delivered a two-medal day at the Asian Games, with Neeru Dhanda first anchoring the team to silver before returning hours later to win individual gold with a new Asian record.
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The team event was decided by the aggregate of all three shooters’ qualification scores, with Neeru leading India’s effort on 118 out of 125 — a mark that also stood joint-top in the individual qualification field, equaling a Games record. Aashima Ahlawat contributed 106 and Manisha Keer added 104, taking India’s combined total to 328, three points clear of bronze medallists Kuwait’s 325.
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China topped the podium comfortably with 346. While Aashima and Manisha’s individual scores weren’t enough to advance them to the final, both contributed in full towards the team’s silver-winning tally.
Neeru Dhanda combined with Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer to win silver in the women’s trap team event with a combined score of 328. Pics: NRAI
Neeru carried her qualification form straight into the individual final. The 26-year-old Indian shooter hit 28 of 30 targets in the final at the Aichi Prefectural General Shooting Gallery, missing just twice to finish two clear of the People’s Republic of China’s Sun Yunong. Kuwait’s Hajar Abdulmalik won bronze with 21.
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Neeru’s 28 bettered the previous Asian record of 24 and made her the first Indian woman to win an Asian Games gold medal in any shotgun event. She also became India’s first-ever individual medallist in women’s trap at the Asian Games, an event first contested at Beijing 1990.
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Neeru opened with a perfect first series to sit level at the top, before a rare miss on her fourth shot in the second series dropped her to third, level with Qatar’s Ray Bassil and behind Kuwait’s Hajar Abdulmalik and China’s Zhu Jingyu. She responded by going perfect again in the next series to retake the lead outright as Bassil, Sun Yunong, and Abdulmalik all erred twice — eliminating Bassil in fourth.
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With four out of five in the following series, Neeru all but sealed at least a silver as Abdulmalik and Yunong missed one apiece to finish level on 21 and settle for bronze and out of medal contention respectively, confirming Kuwait’s Abdulmalik for bronze.
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With the contest now a two-way fight and the format moving to shot-by-shot elimination, Neeru closed out the job in style — hitting all four of her opening shots in the final series before completing a perfect round with her fifth and final shot to finish on 28, claiming gold and a new Asian Games record.
Speaking about the achievement, NRAI president Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo said: “What a day for Indian shooting. Neeru has been in phenomenal form all year, and to see her back up a team silver with an individual gold — and an Asian Games record — in the space of a few hours is truly special. Aashima and Manisha also played their part in getting us on the podium in the team event. This is a proud moment for the sport and for the country.”
“Neeru’s performance today reflects the depth we now have in our trap shooting program. To top qualification, help India to a team medal, and then close it out with gold in the individual final shows both consistency and composure under pressure. Credit to the coaching staff and the support systems that have gone into building this squad,” said NRAI secretary general Pawan Kumar Singh.
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The twin medals took India’s shooting tally at these Games to 14, continuing a standout campaign in the discipline in the closing stages at Aichi-Nagoya. The victory was India’s second gold in shooting at the Asian Games 2026 after Suruchi Singh and Kamaljeet won the 10m air pistol mixed team title.
