CM Rekha Gupta hails India's bronze in Mixed Team Skeet at Asian Games 2026
Synopsis
Anantjeet Singh Naruka and Parinaaz Dhaliwal won bronze in Mixed Team Skeet at Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, with Delhi CM Rekha Gupta congratulating the pair for their precision and composure. The result adds to India's strong shooting tradition at the Games.
Key Takeaways
Anantjeet Singh Naruka and Parinaaz Dhaliwal won bronze in Mixed Team Skeet at Asian Games 2026 .
The Games are being held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan .
Delhi CM Rekha Gupta congratulated the pair on September 24, 2026 .
India has a consistent track record in shooting at the Asian Games, including at Hangzhou 2022 and Jakarta-Palembang 2018 .
Shooting remains one of India's more reliable medal disciplines at multi-sport Games.
Precision under pressure paid off. Anantjeet Singh Naruka and Parinaaz Dhaliwal claimed a bronze medal in the Mixed Team Skeet event at the Asian Games 2026, adding another shooting podium to India's campaign — and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was quick to mark the moment on Thursday, September 24, 2026.
A steady pair on the skeet range
Naruka and Dhaliwal navigated the Mixed Team Skeet format — where a male and female athlete combine their clay-target scores — by holding composure through what Gupta described as 'target after target' under competitive pressure. The discipline rewards consistency above all else: one missed clay at a crucial stage can unravel an entire run. These two didn't let that happen.
Skeet demands that athletes track and break fast-moving clay targets launched from two traps in a wide arc. Mixed-team formats, added to multi-sport program rosters in recent years, pair the technical sharpness of both shooters into a combined result — making communication and rhythm between partners as important as individual accuracy.
Shooting's steady place in India's Asian Games story
India has leaned on its shooters at the Asian Games for years. At Hangzhou 2022 and before that Jakarta-Palembang 2018, the shooting contingent punched reliably into the medal column, with skeet and trap events increasingly complementing India's traditional strength in rifle and pistol disciplines. The Aichi-Nagoya 2026 edition continues that pattern.
National-level coaching infrastructure and sustained international exposure — competitive circuits in Europe and the Middle East where India's shotgun shooters sharpen their range — have quietly built a bench deep enough to field credible Mixed Team pairs. Naruka and Dhaliwal's bronze is a product of that pipeline, not a surprise from it.
What the podium means for the overall tally
Every shooting medal at the Asian Games carries weight beyond the individual event. Shooting has historically been a volume contributor to India's overall haul — the kind of discipline that can deliver three or four medals across a single Games cycle. This bronze keeps the momentum alive as remaining shooting events unfold at Aichi-Nagoya.
The question now is whether the pair — or other members of the Indian shooting squad — can push that bronze toward a higher colour in any remaining mixed or individual events. The range is open; India's shooters are in form.
Point of View
India's continued shooting medals at the Asian Games reflect years of structured investment in high-performance sport infrastructure that transcends any single administration. The inclusion of Mixed Team events in the shooting program also mirrors a global push for gender-balanced sport formats, a trend India has adapted to competitively. As long as shooting delivers at Games like these, political leaders across the spectrum will have ample reason to cheer publicly — and that bipartisan applause is itself a marker of how mainstream Indian shooting has become.
NationPress
24 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won bronze in Mixed Team Skeet at Asian Games 2026?
Anantjeet Singh Naruka and Parinaaz Dhaliwal won the bronze medal in the Mixed Team Skeet event at Asian Games 2026.
Where are the Asian Games 2026 being held?
Asian Games 2026 is being held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
What is Mixed Team Skeet shooting?
Mixed Team Skeet is a shooting format where a male and female athlete pair up to shoot clay targets launched in a wide arc, with their scores combined for a team result.
Why did CM Rekha Gupta post about the Asian Games shooting medal?
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta posted to congratulate Naruka and Dhaliwal on their bronze medal, highlighting their precision and composure in the Mixed Team Skeet event.
How has India performed in shooting at past Asian Games?
India has consistently performed well in shooting at the Asian Games, contributing medals at editions including Hangzhou 2022 and Jakarta-Palembang 2018 across rifle, pistol, and shotgun disciplines.
