India's Neeru Dhanda won gold in the women's trap individual event at the 2026 Asian Games, becoming the first Indian woman to achieve the feat.
Dhanda shattered the Asian Record with a final round score of 28, holding off China's Yunong Sun (26) and Kuwait's Hajar Abdulmalik (21).
The victory marks India's fifth gold medal of the Games.
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Silver for Team
India's Neeru Dhanda, Aashima Ahlawat, and Manisha Keer secured the silver medal in the women's trap team event after combining for 328 points. China captured gold with a dominant 346 points, while Kuwait claimed bronze with 325.
On the individual front, Neeru Dhanda advanced to the final after topping the qualification standings with a score of 118. However, teammates Aashima Ahlawat (106) and Manisha Keer (104) fell short of the final round.
Total Medals
As of September 29, India has secured 47 medals, 5 gold, 21 silver, and 21 bronze, at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Japan.
The quadrennial event, held across 54 venues from September 19 to October 4, features 43 sports with 469 gold medals up for grabs.
"Heartiest congratulations to Neeru Dhanda on winning Gold in the Women's Trap Individual event at #AsianGames2026. A remarkable start to her Asian Games journey and a proud moment for Indian shooting! Wishing her many more laurels ahead," said Union Minister Pralhad Joshi.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also Congratulated Dhanda.
"She becomes the first Indian woman to win an individual gold medal in trap shooting at the Asian Games. May this landmark achievement inspire a new generation of shooters and bring greater glory to the nation," said Singh.
Who is Neeru Dhanda?
Neeru emerged in 2026 as one of the leading shooters in the country. Specialising in the trap event at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup in Lonato, Italy, Neeru broke the record by becoming the first Indian woman to win an individual ISSF World Cup gold medal in Women's Trap. She bagged her first individual medal in her career at the ISSF World Cup, making it her second overall, as per Hindustan Times.
Neeru first gained national attention during the 2022 ISSF World Championship in Osijek and has since become a consistent finalist on the ISSF circuit. Her growing list of achievements includes a bronze in the Trap Mixed Team event at the Almaty World Cup and a standout gold-medal performance in women's trap at the 2025 Asian Shooting Championships.
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