Nadda Hails India's First Asian Games Gold in Trap Mixed Team
Synopsis
Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai clinched India's first-ever Asian Games Gold in Trap Mixed Team at the 2026 Asian Games, posting 34 out of 40 to set a new Asian Record. Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda hailed the achievement as a landmark moment for Indian shooting.
Key Takeaways
Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai won the Trap Mixed Team Gold Medal at the 2026 Asian Games .
Their score of 34 hits out of 40 set a new Asian Record in the Trap Mixed Team event.
This is India's first-ever Asian Games Gold in the Trap Mixed Team discipline.
Union Health Minister and BJP national president J.
Nadda posted congratulations on September 30, 2026 .
Shooting has historically been among India's strongest disciplines at the Asian Games.
India wrote shooting history on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, as the pair of Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai claimed the country's first-ever Asian Games Gold Medal in the Trap Mixed Team event — and Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda was quick to lead the nation's applause.
34 out of 40 — and a new Asian Record
The duo did not just win; they rewrote the record books. Dhanda and Chenai posted 34 hits out of a possible 40, a total that set a new Asian Record for the Trap Mixed Team event. In the unforgiving world of clay-target shooting, where a fraction of a second separates a hit from a miss, that margin speaks to both technical mastery and ice-cold composure under pressure.
Nadda described the performance as 'a brilliant display of precision, composure and teamwork' — three qualities that define elite trap shooting, where the shooter must read a clay disc launched at unpredictable angles and fire in a single, committed motion.
India's first gold in a new frontier for trap shooting
The 'first-ever' tag carries real weight. Shooting has long been among India's most productive disciplines at the Asian Games — the quadrennial continental showpiece that brings together athletes from across Asia — but the Trap Mixed Team format represents a relatively modern addition to the programme. Claiming gold on this stage, at a record score, plants India firmly at the top of the discipline's continental hierarchy.
Indian ministers routinely celebrate athlete milestones on social media, and Nadda — as a senior Cabinet minister and BJP national president — amplified the moment to a vast national audience, framing it as a 'landmark achievement' for the country.
The shooters behind the gold
Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai now enter a select group of Indian shooters who have stood atop an Asian Games podium. The mixed-team format demands synchronised effort across genders, combining two athletes' scores into a single result — meaning both had to fire with equal consistency for the record to fall. That both delivered on the same day, on the biggest continental stage, is the story behind the number.
With the 2026 Asian Games shooting programme still unfolding, this gold sets the tone for India's ambitions across the remaining events on the range.
Point of View
Expanding Indian shooting's medal map at the Asian Games. Senior BJP leader and Cabinet minister J. P. Nadda's swift public celebration reflects a deliberate government-level effort to spotlight athlete success and sustain momentum for shooting as a national sporting priority. The Asian Record score raises the benchmark for rival nations and strengthens India's case for deeper investment in clay-target disciplines ahead of future international cycles. If the rest of the 2026 Asian Games shooting programme delivers further medals, this gold will be remembered as the high-water mark of a generational shift in Indian trap shooting.
NationPress
30 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won gold in Trap Mixed Team at the 2026 Asian Games?
Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai won the Trap Mixed Team Gold Medal for India at the 2026 Asian Games, scoring 34 out of 40 to set a new Asian Record.
What score did India get in the Trap Mixed Team event at Asian Games 2026?
India's pair of Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai hit 34 out of a possible 40 targets, which was enough to win gold and establish a new Asian Record in the event.
Is this India's first gold in Trap Mixed Team at the Asian Games?
Yes, this is India's first-ever Asian Games Gold Medal in the Trap Mixed Team shooting event.
What did J. P. Nadda say about India's Asian Games shooting gold?
Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda congratulated Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai, calling it a 'landmark achievement' and praising their 'precision, composure and teamwork' in clinching the gold.
How has India performed in shooting at the Asian Games historically?
Shooting has historically been one of India's stronger disciplines at the Asian Games, with Indian athletes regularly featuring on the medal table across rifle, pistol, and shotgun events.
