New Delhi: Indian shooter Neeru Dhanda won the women’s individual trap gold medal at the Asian Games 2026 on Tuesday, securing India’s fifth gold at the Aichi-Nagoya Games after topping both the qualification round and the final.
Dhanda, who had earlier helped India win silver in the women’s trap team event, held her nerve in rainy conditions to top the eight-shooter final with a score of 26, according to ESPN.
China’s Sun Yunong and Kuwait’s Hajar Abdulmalik finished with 21 points each, while Qatar’s Ray Bassil was fourth with 16 points.
Dhanda made a strong start to the final, hitting all five targets in the opening series. She missed once in the second series but quickly recovered, producing a strong run in the latter stages.
She recorded a perfect third series to reclaim the lead and followed it with another consistent sequence, reaching 19 hits out of 20 shots after four series.
After 25 shots, Dhanda led Sun 23-21, with Hajar also on 21 before being eliminated. The Indian held her composure in the decisive stage to secure the gold.
The victory caps a successful year for Dhanda, who won her maiden ISSF World Cup gold in the women’s trap event in Lonato, Italy, in July. The Indian Army Marksmanship Unit shooter, who holds the rank of Naib Subedar, had also won the Asian Championship title before adding the Asian Games gold to her list of achievements.
Dhanda had topped the individual qualification alongside Bassil, giving her the advantage in the event of a tie in the final.
Earlier on Tuesday, Dhanda, Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer won the women’s trap team silver with a combined score of 328. China took gold with 346, while Kuwait secured bronze with 325. Dhanda was India’s top performer in the team event, scoring 118 out of 125.
Her individual gold took India’s medal tally to 47, comprising five gold, 21 silver and 21 bronze medals.
Dhanda’s achievement adds to India’s growing success in shotgun shooting, a discipline that has traditionally produced fewer major-event medals for the country compared with rifle and pistol events.
She took up shooting after being inspired by her cousin Lakshay Sheoran, who won silver in the men’s trap event at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta.
With Tuesday’s victory, Dhanda went one step ahead of Sheoran on the Asian Games stage, completing a memorable day for Indian shooting.
[DD News]